


Love after Loss

by CharminglyyEvil



Category: The 100, kabby - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Kabby, Single Parents, Single parents building a family together, cute beach chases, kabby bonding over a puppy, new life, slow burn kabby relationship, together, young kiddie delinquents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-11 14:23:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7056166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharminglyyEvil/pseuds/CharminglyyEvil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All it takes is a little hope, a twist of fate and an adorable puppy to bring two lives together and the start of something new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In response to tumblr prompt: Kabby encounters a kitten or a puppy or really just any baby animal. Adorableness ensues. <3

Abby wasn’t fond of public parks.

She especially wasn’t fond of it on a Sunday morning. Despite the spring season, it was freezing. The early-morning chill slapped her cheeks pink and turned her oxygen into smoky puffs pushing through her lips.

Normally Abby enjoyed spending her Sunday morning in bed, sleeping in until nine before she and Clarke would emerge to watch the morning cartoons together. But last night she had promised Clarke that they would walk to the park so she could collect some new leaves – what Clarke referred to as “orange star leaves” - to draw in her new sketch book. Clarke was barely six, but Abby had to admire her daughter’s skills. She was a natural.

What kind of mother would Abby be if she didn’t foster her daughter’s artistic skills?

So at the break of dawn Clarke had dragged her out of bed and to the park – _“We need to get there early before someone takes all the good leaves, or the wind sweeps them away!”_ – and Abby hadn’t the heart to tell her that it wouldn’t quite work out like that.

But it seemed like Clarke had abandoned her leaf searching long ago.

Abby was watching Clarke from the park bench, playing with another girl who looked to be about her age. This girl had long, raven-black hair that curtained around her frame and an endearing smile. Clarke was showing her new friend the bag of leaves, who was examining them with great interest.

Abby’s lips tilted into a small smile. Clarke didn’t make friends easily, and Abby was surprised that the girl seemed interested (most girls Clarke’s age seemed discouraged by Clarke’s enthusiasm for all things nature that she would show them; leaves, dirt, wriggling worms and critters).

“Mom!”

Abby lifted her head up to see Clarke running over, her new friend by her side. Abby immediately caught up with her, fear shadowing her eyes at her daughter’s worry. “Clarke, honey, what is it?”

“We found a hurt puppy. Octavia’s brother is watching him but you have to come and help”.

Abby briefly glanced at the dark haired girl, ‘Octavia’, then turned her eyes back to her daughter with a small frown. Abby parted her lips to ask her about her new friend, but Clarke was already tugging her by the hand and towards the cluster of trees beyond the playground, so Abby just nodded and followed her daughter and Octavia.

To Abby’s surprise, the injured puppy wasn’t what she first saw when she emerged into the mini nature-forest, but a younger boy who couldn’t be older than eight ( _Octavia’s brother?),_ and a man crouching down on the ground who she assumed to be Octavia’s dad. His hair was dark and a little un-kept -  as if he had just rolled out of bed that morning – with a few loose, espresso coloured waves falling over his forehead, and when he lifted his head, Abby saw intense, dark chocolate brown eyes, striking features and a defined jawline peppered with stubble. His lips broke into an amused smile, sending something fluttering in her stomach.

“So, you were called to join the rescue party too?”

Abby smiled. “It looks like it”.

“Mom can fix it,” Clarke said firmly, a determined look in her eyes. “I’ve seen her fix people in worst states before”.

Abby didn’t even have the heart to tell her that doctors don’t heal animals, vets do. So instead she said, “how about we take a look at him?”

Marcus moved aside so Abby could kneel down and take a look at the puppy. It was a sandy brown shar-pei, all wrinkled rolls, stubby paws and beady brown eyes. She was curled on the grass, pining. Abby patted the puppy gently, assessing his back, his sides, his paws – “Ouch!”

Abby withdrew her hand, wincing. She pressed on her throbbing finger.   

“You alright?”

Abby turned her head to the kids’ father and nodded. “I’m fine. He barely bit me, but I think we know where the source of his pain is. His paw”.

“So can you fix him?” Clarke asked eagerly.

“The puppy needs a vet,” Octavia spoke up, turning to her brother as if for confirmation, who nodded. “We need to take him to the vet”.

Abby nodded. “Your friend’s right Clarke. The puppy needs a vet”.

Octavia smiled, happy that she was right. She stood up and brushed the dirt of the ends of her jeans, turning to glance at Clarke and then her brother. “So what are we waiting for then?”

Abby and Octavia’s father shared a look, somewhere between puzzlement and disbelief at their children. Clarke however was already scooping the puppy up into her arms, staring at her mother with a hint of frustration. “Mom, come on”.

“Clarke, this isn’t even our dog. We should try and find the owner first –“

“We found the puppy in here,” the boy spoke up. “If his owner was nearby, he wouldn’t have let the dog stray so far. The dog doesn’t have a collar either or a microchip. I checked”.

Abby pursed her lips. “Well we can’t just drive him to the vet Clarke. We walked here, our cars at home –“

 “It’s okay, dad has a car,” Octavia pipped up, gesturing to her dad.

Abby arched an eyebrow at Octavia’s father, who shrugged and smiled, reaching for his keys in his pocket. “It’s fine, it’s my day off anyway. I can drive. That is if you don’t mind the mess in the car?”

Abby parted her lips to respond but Clarke beat her to it with, “No we don’t mind. Come on mom!”

The kids were already rushing out of the forest and towards the car park. Abby shook her head incredulously, repressing a chuckle. “Looks like I don’t have much of a choice anyway. Fortunately I don’t mind a little mess; I think my life is pretty much accustomed to that anyway”.

He stood up and offered her his hand, helping her up from the ground. “Somehow I find that hard to believe”.

“Trust me. Try being a single mother of one with a full time job and you’ll understand”.

He shrugged as they made their way out of the forest. “How about a single father of two?”

Abby stopped, turning to face him with surprised eyes. “Really? Okay, you win”.

He smiled. “It’s not too bad when you have kids as easy as them. Octavia and Bellamy can be a handful, but they’re great kids really. Your daughter seems sweet too”.

Abby’s eyes drifted over to Clarke, who was giggling with Octavia and Bellamy as the puppy sneezed in her arms. “She’s a blessing”.

“Kids make friends so easily”.

“They do”. Abby paused, frowning a little when she realised that she didn’t even know the stranger’s name. She turned to face him, offering him a small smile. “I’m Abby, by the way”.

He returned the smile. “Marcus”.

“Dad, come on!” Octavia and Bellamy called, already waiting for him at their car.

Abby and Marcus shared a look before they shook their heads and hurried after the kids. Abby’s eyes widened when they arrived at Marcus’s car, examining the sleek black and white police car. The kids were already sitting inside – Clarke in the middle with the sneezing puppy on her lap, and Bellamy and Octavia hovering over the pup on either side - and Marcus was opening the passenger door for her, so Abby stepped inside without comment.

True to his word, the car was filled with junk; empty Starbucks cups on the dashboard, stickers stuck on the back of the seats, the floors filled with McDonald bags, empty water bottles, old sweaters, library books and gym bags.

 Marcus passed her an apologetic look as he sat next to her. “I’sorry about the mess. I’ve been on holiday, so I haven’t had to use the car for my work in a while”. 

Abby shook her head and smiled. “It’s fine, seriously”.

And it was.

Somehow, when she glanced at all the mess, she saw images of Marcus driving his kids though McDonalds and apologising to the workers as Octavia and Bellamy both yelled their orders over the top of each other, Marcus picking his kids up from sports, their sports bags carelessly chucked in the back seat, Marcus turning the radio up louder by Octavia’s request, whilst they all sung and danced around in the car with so much movement that they splashed their bottles of coke onto the seats.

It reminded her of family. _Of home._

Abby felt like chiding herself. It was crazy of her to allow her and Clarke to step into a car with a complete stranger so they could drive off to the vet and help an injured puppy.

Abby was used to crazy. Chaotic shifts at the hospital and juggling her duties as Doctor and Mother, whilst trying to provide for Clarke what she and Jake were supposed to do together was difficult, and often made her life a little crazy.

But this was a different kind of crazy.

Yet as she looked into Marcus’s warm eyes and kind smile, any doubts she had about her decision evaporated from her. Because she felt like she could trust him.

She really did.

“You alright?”

Abby startled, meeting Marcus’s puzzled stare and raised eyebrow. She blushed and shook her head, turning away. “Sorry, I’m just- I was just daydreaming”.

When she looked back, he was smiling, an adorable smile that crinkled around his eyes, stirring the same fluttering sensation in her stomach, like autumn leaves caught in the wind. His stare was lingering on hers, studying her, and Abby quickly tore her eyes away from his intense gaze, clearing her throat.

“So, can I ask what you and the kids were doing out here so early then?” Abby asked, the blush fading from her cheeks.

Marcus turned the key in, his hand on the clutch. “Tae kwon do practice. We live in a tiny two-bedroom apartment, so Bellamy and Octavia like to practice in the open space every Sunday morning, preferably early when no one else is around. What about you?”

“Collecting leaves”.

Marcus nodded with a small ‘ah’, as if it was the most common answer. Abby smiled as he reversed out, and went to explain, “Clarke likes to draw. Her current project is a collection of sketches of different leaves”.

“Are you guys talking about me?” Clarke called from behind, irritation lacing her voice.

Abby turned her head around and smiled. “No honey, just telling my new friend about your wonderful drawings”.

When she turned back around Marcus was smiling at her again with an arched eyebrow, and Abby found herself blushing again. She barely knew this person. ‘Acquaintance’ would have been more a more appropriate friend. ‘Octavia’s father’. Or even ‘ _our_ ’ new friend. And yet the words her slipped from her lips before she could give them a second thought.

But then Marcus said without taking his eyes off the road, “Hey, you hungry? I know a great cafe near the vet. They make the worlds’ greatest pancakes”. 

Abby blinked, surprised. She turned her head, and their eyes briefly met, before he was looking back on the road.

“The worlds’ greatest pancakes? That sounds great”.

…

It turned out that the vet wasn’t needed.

Halfway towards the vet, Clarke had miraculously found the cause of pain: a thorn. It was stuck in the pup’s paw, and the pup had bitten Abby before she had a chance to notice it. With a little moral encouragement from Bellamy and Octavia, and a pair of tweezers that Abby always kept handy in her bag (just in case for situations like this), Clarke had managed to pull the bindy out.

Abby couldn’t help but be a little proud. Despite her daughter’s artistic talents and aspirations, she couldn’t help but hope that she would go into Medicine. She knew that Clarke would be a natural.

So all in all, the puppy was free from her thorn, and was leaping between the three kids’ laps, and licking a giggling Clarke’s face. But the question still remained.

What to do with the puppy now?

The reasonable answer was to hand it over to the pound so they could find his owner.  

This answer did not go down well.

“We can’t do that!”

“What if he doesn’t have an owner? What if the owner doesn’t find him?”

“Dad, they put down animals that don’t get a home!”

Marcus and Abby, once again, shared another worried and weary look.

Marcus pulled over to the side long ago so they could settle this dispute.

Abby turned her head around and spoke softly, “Clarke, we can’t just keep this puppy. It may have an owner, someone who misses her very much”.

Clarke frowned with irritation but bowed her head down. She knew that mom was right.

Bellamy had a different idea. “What if we keep it just for now? Just until we find his owner?”

Abby had to admit, it wasn’t a bad idea. Certainly better than keeping it, and definitely better than dealing with Clarke’s distress if she were to give it to the pound and potentially subject the puppy to its death.

Marcus however was frowning in the rear-view mirror. “Bellamy, I don’t think out apartment is the best place for a dog. The land lord wouldn’t allow it”.

“Why don’t we take the dog then?” Abby asked. “We live in a large estate with a backyard and plenty of room for the dog. We could take him until we find his owners. Of course Octavia and Bellamy would be welcomed to visit”.

The siblings’ eyes brightened at this. Marcus turned to look at her, surprised. “Really?”

Abby shrugged, smiling. “Sure, why not? Besides, I doubt Clarke will let me take back my words now,” Abby glanced at Clarke, who was smiling widely.

“You hear that Pepper, you’ll be coming home with us!”

Abby lifted an eyebrow, and shared another glance with Marcus (it was really becoming a shared habit between the two of them). “Pepper?”

“Because she keeps on sneezing,” Octavia explained, scratching the wagging dog in-between her ears. “Like when you inhale pepper”.

Marcus shook his head, and Abby chuckled wearily. “Good god, they’ve already named her”.

Marcus asked, “Have you thought about what’s going to happen if you don’t find the owner?”

“No, and I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that. But you know what, if we end up keeping her, maybe it won’t be so bad. Clarke could use another friend”. Abby hesitated and glanced at her daughter and the cuddle puppy. “Besides, it’s not like we don’t have the room for her. Our house was always built for more than two”.

 


	2. Chapter 2

They had spent the afternoon printing off lost pet signs and driving around town to hang them up. Since then, Clarke had grown rather close to the siblings. So Clarke (with Abby’s approval) had invited the siblings over to her house so she could show them her room and play with Pepper in the backyard, leaving Abby and Marcus in the kitchen together.  

 Abby was picking out two brightly spotted mugs from her kitchen cabinet. She turned her head around to sneak a glance at her guest, who was sitting on her bar stool, watching the puppy chase the kids around.

Marcus was good with children. Abby didn’t know why she found that to be so surprising, or why she came to think this when she’s only known the man for less than a day.

She just knew.

She recalled the way Marcus had scooped each of his kids up into the air so he could help them stick the lost signs up high on the restaurant windows.

Then she recalled how Clarke had called for his attention with a tug of his shirt and a point to the windows up high, and he had bobbed down to let her to climb onto his shoulders so she could reach the window. Since then, Clarke had refused for Marcus to let her down, enjoying the view up high, pretending that Marcus was a spaceship, and laughing as it soon turned into a game, with Octavia, Bellamy and Pepper - the intergalactic space warriors - chasing Marcus and Clarke down the street.

Abby had always tried to do those fun things with Clarke when she could, but with her limited time and energy, it was difficult. She had always planned for Jake being the fun parent. Jake being the one to scoop Clarke up onto his shoulders, to start the water gun fights, to organise the family camping trips and let her stay up past her bedtime. Abby was supposed to be the serious one. The one to sooth her fevers, make her do her homework and keep her away from all the boys.

_They were supposed to do this together._ Never did Abby believe that she would have to be both parents alone.

But Marcus could do it. He did it so well.

The _‘ping!’_ of the kettle alerted her attention. Abby shook her head a little and opened her cabinet, searching through the jars of sugar and tea and milo for the coffee. She looked over her shoulder and called, “do you take milk?”

Marcus nodded. “Skim milk, if you have it”.

Abby poured the milk into the two steaming mugs and walked over to place the mugs onto the marble bench, pushing one towards Marcus. She rested an elbow on the marble bench and blew on her coffee.

Marcus took a moment to examine her house once more. Abby wasn’t kidding when she said that she had a large estate. A double story house, with long hallways and two spacious living rooms – one with a fireplace, treadmill and bookshelves aligning the walls , and the other with a coffee table, leather couches and a plasma television – connected to an open black and white marbled kitchen. The backyard was big too, with a long deck seating a barbeque and a wooden dining table and half a dozen chairs. Un-kept grass stretched around the house.

“Your house is amazing,” he offered, dragging his eyes away from the portraits hanging on her cream coloured walls. “You weren’t lying about its size”.

Abby smiled softly as she took a sip from her coffee. “Well, Jake was never one to settle for less. He had always dreamt about having a big family, and built this house with the intention of filling it”.

Marcus met her eyes, his voice quietening as he said, “Can I ask what happened to your husband?” He noticed the way her fingers went to the silver ring around her neck at his question, but she nodded anyway.

“He was driving to the hospital. I was in labour with Clarke. It was an early labour, her due date wasn’t for another week. Jake had been on a business trip but had to cut it short when the doctor phoned him. The doctor shouldn’t have put me on the phone,” Abby’s voice dropped to a whisper, her eyes falling to her coffee. “I was in no state to speak to him. But I had insisted. I was screaming on the phone, screaming that I needed him. I wasn’t thinking clearly, I couldn’t have with all the pain I was in. And then I heard a crash”.

There was a lingering silence. When Abby lifted her eyes up Marcus spoke, “I’m so sorry”.

Abby hoped that her smile wasn’t too strained when she said, “Don’t be. It was over six years ago. And I spent a good five years of my life blaming myself for Clarke never getting to meet her father. And Clarke-“ Abby’s voice briefly caught in her throat. “Clarke didn’t deserve any of that. It was hard, for both of us. I always tried to be strong for her. Always ensured that I kept Jake’s memories alive in this house, to past down what I could to her. But some nights…it was too hard. She almost lost me so many times. But now,” Abby paused, her eyes drifting outside the glass doors, to where the kids were trying to teach Pepper to fetch a tennis ball. “Now I know better. I know that I can’t lose myself again like I did when I lost Jake. She deserves at least that”.

Marcus was speechless. He was half torn between taking her hand, to give her some sort of comfort, and yet the rational part of him was in disbelief.

They had barely known each other for a day, and yet she was spilling everything to him like they had been friends for years. Marcus could tell that Abby was realising just how much she had said, because she was dipping her head down and taking a sip from her coffee, a slight flush creeping onto her cheeks.

She cleared her throat and said, “So what about you? What happened to your partner?”

It was Marcus’s turn to shift his attention back to his coffee. “Partner? I’m afraid I haven’t had a partner in a few years”.

Abby frowned, her head tilting to the side.

 Marcus took a steady breath and a sip of his coffee before he continued. “Octavia and Bellamy aren’t my kids. They’re adopted. I was called to check on a house when the neighbours complained that they heard screams. I walked into find a little girl locked under the floorboards, Octavia, she was only four then,” Marcus’s voice caught in his throat, his eyes darkening at the memory. “And Bellamy…he was locked in his room, banging on the door to let him see Octavia. Their mother was dead on the floor, a bottle of bleach by her side”.

Abby’s eyes were as wide as the moon, her hands covering her mouth. “No,” she whispered, not daring to believe it.

Marcus’s face was grave as he continued, “All my years in the force, and I had never seen anything as horrifying as that. I couldn’t let them go into the foster care system. I’ve seen too many kids out on the streets, getting caught in gangs, in drug trades, all kids that never had a family, never had a home. I knew what Bellamy and Octavia’s chances were, and I couldn’t put them through that. Not when they were so young…”

 “So you adopted them?”

“I had the papers signed later that week, and they moved into my apartment that month”.

Abby was shaking her head, her coffee long abandoned. “You saved them”.

Marcus shrugged. “Maybe. But they saved me really. They changed me, for the better. I’m a completely different person because of them”.

Abby leaned further onto the counter and sipped from her coffee, thinking. “Kids do that to you, and one day you wake up and wonder how a day went by in your life without them”.

Marcus smiled, a sparkle in his eyes. “And other days you just want to tear your hair out and give anything just for a moment of peace”.

Abby returned his smile. She sipped from her coffee, her eyes drifting over to the open glass doors and the dirty footprints tracked on the tiles. She frowned and repressed a small sigh. Abby had told Clarke to close the door and take her shoes off countless times. Honestly, sometimes she might as well be talking to a brick wall.

Abby took a sip of her coffee and said, “And other days, you wonder if anything you ever say gets past-“ she screeched, dropping her coffee mug and jumping as if she had been zapped.  

Pepper had bounded into the kitchen and jumped onto her leg, catching her by surprise. The coffee fell from her heads, bouncing on the bench and splashing coffee all down Marcus’s shirt.

“Oops”. 

“Crap,” Abby muttered, her eyes wide with worry at the mess she had caused.

Abby rushed past Clarke - who was scooping up Pepper and taking her away from the mess - and to the kitchen sink, squeezing a freshly wet dishcloth, her lips falling to utter an apology.

“It’s fine Abby-”.

But Abby was already by his side and dabbing the cloth at the brown stain on the front of his shirt. She frowned, only spreading the stain further. The stain was too big anyway, running down the top half of his shirt.

 “Abby-“

 “You’re going to have to take it off”.

She stopped as soon as the words slipped from her lips, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. He just lifted an eyebrow and smiled, amused. Abby cleared her throat, “So I can wash your shirt,” she dumped the cloth into the sink and ruffled her hair loose, desperately hoping that she wasn’t blushing. “I have some stain remover that should do the trick”.

“Of course,” he replied, his smile still quirking on his lips.

Marcus slipped off the stool and followed her up stairs. Abby made a stop by her bedroom and returned down the hallway with a buttoned up shirt.

“Here,” she gave it to Marcus as they headed towards the washhouse. “It should be your size. Just so you don’t have to drive home shirtless and face some awkward questions from your kids”.

Marcus glanced at the crisp shirt, _Jake’s shirt,_ and wondered if Abby kept more of Jake’s clothes in her room. He didn’t ponder the thought long, as they were soon in the washhouse, and Abby was spraying his shirt with the stain remover. She dumped his shirt into a bucket of water and kneaded the material.

“You really don’t have too,” he begun, but Abby waved his protest off.

“The stain would have stuck, trust me. I’ve seen too many of Clarke’s clothes, chocolate milk spills and tomato sauce that won’t go away if I don’t get to it quick enough”. Abby paused, mid breath, and asked, “You don’t have this problem with your kids too?”

Marcus lifted his shoulder up in a shrug. “Maybe a little, they can be pretty messy. But ah, besides putting the clothes in the wash, I’ve never really done much else”. Marcus paused, noticing the slight shake of her head. “I feel like I’m being judged here”.

Abby’s lips tilted into a small smile as she continued to scrub. “Not at all”.

Marcus took a moment to glance around the room, noticing the two baskets of clothes stacked on top of the washing machine. Abby caught his wondering gaze and cast him an almost apologetic look. “I haven’t had a chance to do the washing this week. The machine floods every time I turn it on. I haven’t gotten around to getting it fixed”.

Marcus began to play around with the washing machine’s switch, his frown deepening. “The hose may have burst, but it sounds like you broke the switch. I could take a look at it if you’d like?”

Relief flooded Abby’s features. “Really?”

Marcus shrugged and nodded. “I can stop by tomorrow if you’re home, and pick up my shirt too. I finish early on Mondays”

“That would be great. And bring the kids too, I’m sure they would love to see the dog again”.

Marcus grinned. “Sounds like a date”.


	3. Chapter 3

True to his word, Marcus returned with the kids on Monday afternoon, and the following Monday, and the one after that. Soon, they started coming on Friday afternoons and weekends too. It seemed like the kids couldn’t get enough of Pepper and Clarke, and Clarke enjoyed seeing her friends too.

Meanwhile, Abby hadn’t received one phone call regarding the lost dog.

As the weeks rolled by, and Marcus, Octavia, Bellamy and Clarke had gone shopping for some toys for Pepper, and Abby had taken the dog to get vaccinated, although nobody had said it, everybody knew it.

Pepper wasn’t going anywhere.

Abby enjoyed Marcus’s weekly company too. It seemed natural for Marcus’s police car to pull up at her driveway every Monday and Friday afternoon, and for the kids to come bounding inside and enveloping Clarke in a hug and scooping up Pepper, before attacking the after school snacks Abby would have laid out on the kitchen bench.

It seemed so natural for Marcus to come inside later on, propping himself up on the bench where the kettle would be boiling already, before he and Abby discussed their week. Abby would catch Marcus up on the dramas at the hospital where _something_ was always going on, (currently the surgeon was having an affair with one of the interns), whilst Marcus updated her on how the new recruits were getting on.

Other days if it wasn’t too hot, Abby and Marcus would take the kids out to the dog park with Pepper, watching the kids play fetch (Pepper could fetch the ball now, but she always refused to let it go), and chatting on the park bench.

Of course, Marcus proved himself to be quite useful too. After fixing her washing machine, he soon found other areas in the house that Abby just never had the time to address and insisted that he help to fix. A broken coffee machine, chewed television cables (courtesy of their new fury family member) and just recently, a few wooden railings that had come loose on her deck, posing a safety risk to the kids and Pepper who often loved playing on it.

Now Abby was sitting on one of the dining chairs outside, her eyes drifting between the reports she was shifting through, the kids playing ‘warrior war’ with Pepper, and Marcus, who was nailing the new panels to her deck. Shirtless.

The scorching summer sun was baking Marcus’s back, tanning his skin. He was kneeling at the deck, his dark hair slick with sweat and falling over his eyes.  Safe behind her sunglasses and her reports, Abby’s eyes would wander, down over the slope of his broad shoulders, following the beads of sweat that slid down the planes of his sculpted chest, catching onto the dark hair that dusted his torso and disappeared behind the waist of his jeans. 

And occasionally, she would let her thoughts wonder too. Darker fantasises of Abby burying her lips into his neck and kissing his Adam’s apple, running her hands over his chest, feeling his muscles flex and contract under her fingers, wrapping her legs around his waist as he would lift her up so easily with his powerful arms, dropping her onto the bed and crawling over her body-

“Aunt Abby”. 

Abby startled and almost toppled off the chair. She shifted her attention away from Marcus and his abbs and to Octavia, who was blinking up at her with wide eyes.  

Abby prayed that she wasn’t blushing.

Abby pulled her shades over her head and cleared her throat, smiling at the girl. She couldn’t quite remember when she had gone from being ‘Mrs’ and ‘Abby’ to ‘Aunt Abby, but to Abby’s surprise, she didn’t mind one bit. She had grown closer to the kids over the past month, and really, the title touched her heart. In a small way it showed her that the kids thought of her like family, and whether that was true or not she wasn’t sure, but Abby did know that she considered these kids to be like her second children anyway.

 “Yes honey?”

“Can you do my hair?”

Abby frowned at Octavia’s shimmering hair. “Your hair? What’s wrong with your hair?” 

Octavia pointed to Clarke, whose yellow bangs were still loose, but a few bangs were braided behind her ears in brightly coloured hair ties. “I want my hair to be just like Clarke’s”.

Abby smiled, touched at the girl’s request. She took Octavia’s hand and smiled. “Of course we can do your hair. Come on. Let’s go see if we can find some colourful hair ties in my room, yeah?”

Octavia gave her a toothy smile and followed her into the house.

Unbeknownst to Abby, Marcus had taken a break from his work to watch her and Octavia. A fond smile played on his lips as he watched Octavia settle on Abby’s lap and Abby begin to brush and braid her hair. Abby was telling Octavia something that soon had her eyes wide and bright with excitement, and a huge grin spreading across her features. The sight was touching, and buried its way deep inside Marcus, tugging on his heartstrings.

The hair looked stunning too. Octavia’s front hair had been pinned back at the centre, revealing the dark braids that dangled down her sides and behind her ear, like twisting ropes. Octavia almost burst with joy when she saw her braids in the mirror, and flung her arms around Abby’s waist who, although a little surprise, soon melted into the girls embrace. She kissed her forehead and said, “You look like a true warrior now”.

Abby watched Octavia run back to the yard to show her brother and Clarke her new braids.

“Thank you”.

Abby startled, lifting her head up to see Marcus, who had taken a seat next to her. He had (quite regrettably so) slipped his shirt back on.

Abby shrugged and smiled. “It was nothing”.

Marcus shook his head, his eyes drifting back over to Octavia. “It wasn’t just nothing. Octavia’s always wanted to do something with her hair, but I’ve never quite been able too-“ Marcus stopped, discomfort passing his features. He swallowed and said, “You gave her something that I couldn’t do”.

Abby’s eyes softened. “Marcus, you don’t need to thank me. I was happy too. I adore Octavia. But if you’d like, I could teach you how to do her hair?”

Marcus lifted an eyebrow. “Teach me how to braid hair?”

Abby cast him a playful smile. “I don’t see why not? I could start with yours,” she ran her fingers through his hair, which had been growing quite long lately, his curls almost falling around his neck. “I could give you braids to match Octavia’s?”

Marcus chuckled. “How about we leave the experiments to the kids?”

Abby shrugged and released his hair. “If you say so. But the offers not going to last”.

Marcus returned her smile. He winced, studying her closely, and Abby yet again felt her stomach flip and cheeks burn under his stare. She dipped her head down to avert her gaze, half worried that she would blush and half worried that she wouldn’t be able to tear her eyes away from his if she met his gaze.

“I mean it Abby,” Marcus said quietly. “Thank you. Octavia doesn’t get along with many people, but she really likes you”.

Abby lifted her head up and smiled. “There’s nothing to thank me for. She’s an incredible child Marcus. Both of them are. You must be so proud”.

 “Of course I am. I’m lucky to have them”.

“Hey,” Abby reached for his hand over the table, taking him by surprise. She met his eyes with a kind smile. “You know that it wasn’t all luck, right? You did that. You raised Bellamy and Octavia by yourself, and against all odds - doing it alone, the abuse these kids endured - you brought up two amazing kids”. Abby squeezed his hand. “Don’t forget that Marcus”.

Marcus squeezed her hand too. “Thank you. I think I needed to hear that“.

The two of them shared a small smile.

“Mum! Can we go to the beach?”

They spun their heads around to see the kids running up the deck, Pepper bounding behind them.

“The beach?” Abby asked, sharing a quizzical look with Marcus.

Bellamy nodded, smiling. “We want to take the puppy to the beach. And she wants to go too, don’t you girl?” Bellamy exclaimed Pepper and she barked joyfully.

“I want to train Pepper to surf!” Octavia piped up with a grin.

Pepper’s ears pricked up, sensing her name. Her tiny eyes shifted between the kids and Abby, before she scampered over to Abby, and nudged her nose into Abby’s leg. Abby gave the pup a peculiar look, before Pepper -  much to the kids’ giggly amusement – ran her body against Abby’s legs, circling around Abby’s feet, trying to get her attention. Abby laughed and finally scratched Pepper’s head, who lifted her head further up towards Abby’s hand, panting happily.

“See?” Clarke said, crouching onto the deck and patting Pepper. “She wants to go to the beach too”.

Once again, Abby glanced at Marcus with a raised eyebrow, who just shrugged and said, “I don’t see why not. After all, who could say no to this little girl?”


	4. Chapter 4

“Mom, you have to come in too!”

Abby looked over her sunglasses to Clarke, who was sitting on Marcus’s shoulders in the ocean, waving her hands in the air. Abby smiled and waved back.

But in no way did she plan on coming in.

Abby was content on laying on her stomach, soaking in as much of the sun as she could, and finishing the last of her paperwork over a bottle of iced coffee (although she hadn’t got a lot of paperwork done).

 It was hard to concentrate when Clarke looked like she hadn’t had so much fun in years, building castles with Octavia and Bellamy, chasing Pepper down the shore, and sitting on Marcus’s shoulders as he guided her deeper into the water, each wave that tumbled by or dip of Marcus’s knees that dropped Clarke deeper into the water making her screech with glee.

Of course, the fact that Marcus was wearing nothing but his board shorts when he emerged from the water with a shake of his head, flickering wet curls away from his eyes, salty drops of water running down his bare chest and the sun kissing his shoulders brown…

Well, who could really blame Abby if she didn’t get any work done?

It didn’t make it any easier when Marcus would lift his head up, and his eyes would lock onto hers. Abby would duck her head down and quickly return back to her paperwork, pretending that she didn’t see him smirking right at her. Amused. Enjoying the fact that she was so clearly checking him out.

 “Come on Aunt Abby! You have to swim too!”

Abby lifted her eyes up, surprised. It was Octavia who was calling her this time. She was standing on the shores, laughing and flinching as Pepper shook salt water everywhere. Bellamy and Clarke were a little behind her. Bellamy was holding Clarke’s hand, pulling her close to his side protectively, easing the worries that passed Clarke’s eyes with each passing wave.

Clarke had never been fond of the water (Abby was lucky if she could get her to stay in the bath tub long enough to wash her hair). Yet it had taken Marcus and Bellamy all but twenty minutes to drag her out into the ocean, and she was _happy_ too.

The sight warmed Abby’s heart up like nothing else could.

“Yeah Aunt Abby!”

Abby startled and followed the calls to Marcus, who was standing on the shore, grinning.

“Come on Abby, the waters great!”

Abby just smiled and shook her head, gesturing to the paperwork in front of her. “I don’t like the ocean anyway!”

Abby was sitting on a sandy hill further away from the water, so she couldn’t quite hear what Marcus was telling the kids. But judging from the mischievous look in his eyes, and the Cheshire cat-like grins that spread across the kids’ features, Abby knew what he was planning.

She quickly scrambled up onto her towel, but Marcus was already clambering up the hill, with the kids and Pepper running up by his side. 

“ _Marcus,”_ Abby warned Marcus, her voice ice thin and stern.

But Marcus was still grinning as he reached her, dripping puddles of water onto the sand. His eyes still locked on Abby’s he spoke, “Okay kids, like we planned”.

Then Octavia, Bellamy and Clarke were all pulling a gasping and protesting Abby up, Pepper dancing around their ankles and yapping in encouragement. Once they had pulled Abby up, Octavia yelled “Now Dad!”

Marcus scooped Abby up into his arms bridal style – Abby yelped and hit him on the shoulder in protest – before hurrying down the sandy hill.

Her eyes widened as they neared the water. “Marcus I’m not even in my swimmers! Put me down or I swear to God-“

Her voice died into screams as she and Marcus were submerged in the water. When they emerged, Abby was clutching onto Marcus, her legs wrapped around his waist, having automatically reached for him as they tumbled under the waves.

She was gasping and spluttering. Marcus laughed by her side, his arms still wrapped securely around her waist, his toes just touching the ground.

Abby huffed and wriggled away from his embrace, her fiery eyes strangling him. “I am going to _murder_ you Marcus Kane!”

Marcus’s grin fell and he quickly paddled back to shore, strong arms pushing through the water. Abby took after him, and once her feet were back on the sand, she was running.

Wet hair whipped her cheeks, her clothes and sand stuck to her skin uncomfortably, and she could just register the kids’ giddy cries chasing after them.

But her mind didn’t linger on any of that.

Her eyes locked onto Marcus, who was tossing his head over his shoulder and laughing, grinning, so sure that he could out run her, so sure that Abby would trip or slow down. That arrogant grin only pushed Abby further.

She huffed and increased her speed.

She was almost near him. So close that she could hear his feet pounding into the sand, so close that bits of sand that his feet kicked up hit her shin. _If she just reached out a little more…_

Abby grabbed Marcus’s wrist and he fell back, crashing into her. They both tumbled onto the sand. But despite the groan and the fall, Marcus was already scrambling back up again. Abby quickly went after him on her knees, wrestling him to the ground. Marcus struggled underneath her so Abby quickly straddled his waist, pinning his arms above his head and successfully securing him underneath her weight.

Abby waited a few beats to catch her breath, knowing that she would have the rest of the day to dangle her triumph in front of him. Yet as her eyes fell on his, she felt her breath catch in her throat, the words evaporating from her mind.

He was staring at her again. He was staring at her as if this was the first time he had seen her, his pupils dilated, eyes a little surprised, and yet a little lost. It was as if his eyes were memorising hers, ingraining the shades of amber brown, every lash and glint of light in her eye, into his mind.

Abby felt herself fall into his eyes.

She was falling hard and falling fast.

Abby swallowed and slowly released his arms. Her eyes fell to his lips and further down to his heart. She wondered if it was hammering just as hard and fast as hers.

She was tempted to place her hand over it to see. But instead her hands wound into his hair, fingers threading through his wet curls and pulling out clumps of sand. A chuckle rumbled in her chest at all the sand she was freeing from his hair.

“I caught you,” Abby breathed, her smile teasing.

Marcus caught her hands and brought them down to their sides, intertwining their fingers together. The smile softening his features was enough to send her heart bursting from her chest. He whispered,

“You sure did”.

“Mum!”

“Dad!”

Something shattered around them, breaking the moment between then.

Pepper was jumping onto Marcus and licking his face, releasing a chorus of chuckles from everyone. The wet puppy poked her nose into Marcus’s hair and sneezed. Abby chuckled.

“I’m not the only one who notices the sand caught in your hair”.

Marcus chuckled too, shaking his head a little to shake some sand away. “I will get you back for this Griffin”.

Abby grinned. “Oh really? Hey kids, I have an idea. How about we bury Marcus in the sand?”


	5. Chapter 5

It was midnight when Abby called Marcus.

Marcus was at the police station, struggling not to doze off in his chair to the sounds of the splattering rain outside, and going through the mountain of paperwork at his desk. He hated doing the night shifts. Marcus almost jumped when his phone rang to life.

His voice was heavy and rough with exhaustion when he answered, “Hello?”

 “Marcus?”

Marcus immediately sat up when he heard her voice, his eyes alert. “Abby?” Marcus clutched onto the phone and ran his hand through his hair and down his face, trying to wake himself up.

“Marcus, I’m sorry for calling you so late, I just-“ he heard her muffled sob on the phone, and his chest tightened. “I needed to talk to someone”.

His grip on the phone tightened. “Of course. Abby, what’s wrong?”

He heard her swallow on the other side, her breaths trembling, tears shattering in her chest. Marcus wondered if she had called with the thought that Marcus wouldn’t pick up at all. Finally she whispered,

“I don’t know”. She paused, and then, “I’m so sorry Marcus, I don’t know. This was a mistake, I know you work late on Thursday’s and I just-I’m stuck…I don’t know what to do. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called you“.

“Abby stop, you don’t need to apologise. Where are you now?”

She waited a beat before answering, and Marcus mentally saw her frowning on the other side. “I’m at home”.

Marcus nodded, already gathering his belongings. “Okay. I’ll be there in ten”.

“What? Marcus. No. Don’t be ridiculous, you’re working and-“

“It’s okay. I can call someone to cover for me”.

Abby breathed out a small sigh, and Marcus imagined a small smile flitting across her lips as she whispered, “Thank you”.

….

The front door was unlocked when he arrived at Abby’s house.

Marcus stepped inside her house, his eyes searching the room. A few streams of moonlight sliced through the darkness, shedding light onto a few empty mugs on the kitchen bench, a remote control lying on the fluffy rug and Clarke’s pencils and sketch book scattered across the living room. Marcus saw nothing out of the unusual.

Then he heard Pepper’s pines.

Marcus followed the puppy’s wails upstairs and to Abby’s bedroom, where her door was left ajar, spilling yellow light into the hallway. Marcus hesitated at the door, his heart already constricting at the sounds of her cries. He walked inside.  

Abby was sitting on her knees in front of her bed, face flushed and crying. Half a bottle of wine sat next to her and piles of clothes – men’s jackets, shirts, pants, socks, pyjamas - scattered the room. Pepper was nudging her head against her knee, pining, and occasionally jumping up on her lap to lick her tears.

Abby lifted her head up, her eyes blooming with surprise. She stared at Marcus in his uniform and his metallic badge and his wet hair and the realisation that she had called him, that she had _let him leave work and drive all this way in the dead of night just to see her_ , hit her. Abby’s lips fell to utter an apology but Marcus was already crossing the room and enveloping her in his arms. He felt Pepper’s tiny body against his waist, felt Abby tense beneath him, before her head fell onto his shoulder as she softened into his embrace.

They stayed like that for a while; Marcus holding Abby in his arms as he traced patterns up and down her back. It wasn’t long before the couple felt Pepper wriggling between their pressed bodies, having been caught in the middle of their embrace. So Abby pulled back so the puppy could leap away, sniffing and wiping the tears away with the backs of her hands.

“I can’t believe you left work for this”.

No. She could believe it. _Of course_ Marcus would come.

Abby lifted her eyes back up to Marcus, who was staring at her with tender eyes, his soft gaze melting warm into her heart.

 “Don’t be ridiculous, I said I would, didn’t I? So do you wanna tell me what’s going on?”

Abby followed his gaze to the mountains of clothes tossed onto her bed and littered all over the floor. “I was organising my closet”.

His lips quirked into a small smile. “I can see that”.

Abby shook her head, picking up a cotton shirt by her side and dropping it back onto the ground. “These are Jake’s things. Jake’s clothes. I’ve been holding onto it for so long and I thought…I thought that it was finally time to let them go”.

Marcus noticed the way her fingers brushed over the ring around her neck. He tore his eyes away from the ring and back to the clothes, glancing at the crinkled suits and striped socks, trying to work out how Jake’s clothes had driven her into her previous distressed state.

“And seeing his clothes brought back memories of the time you two had together?”

Abby lifted her shoulder up in a shrug. “Kind of, but mostly,” she hesitated and averted her eyes, distracting herself with the failed threads on one of Jake’s jackets. “I felt guilty, like I was betraying him”.

Abby saw Marcus’s perplexed frown and sighed, trying to collect her thoughts together, which were growing more sluggish as the alcohol set in. She took a steady breath and said, “I felt like I was betraying him, because I’ve been having thoughts…thoughts of somebody else”.

Marcus’s heart stopped short. He lifted his head up, blood rushing in his ears, his heart not daring to believe it. “Somebody else?”

Abby shook her head incredulously. “When I went to clear Jake’s things tonight I thought I would feel nothing but pain, remembering Jake…his smell, the jacket that he gave me when I was cold on our first date, the striped socks he always wore to bed…remembering him, _remembering us,_ and the pain these memories always brought me. And yet…I felt good”. Abby swallowed, guilt shadowing her features. “It felt good to finally let all of this go. Liberating, actually. But not because of the right reasons”. Abby took in another shuddering breath and then, “I felt like I was being unfaithful to him”.

Marcus watched her closely, reading her. He was patient, waiting for her to continue, yet his heart was hammering a mile a minute, daring, _hoping_ that she was saying what he thought she was saying. When she didn’t continue, Marcus took a leap of faith and said softly,

“Abby, it’s okay to love again”.

Abby’s head snapped up, shock blossoming in her eyes. That fear that tinged her eyes made him want to run. _Had he been reading this wrong the entire time?_

It was a while before Abby said, “You’re a good man Marcus”.

Marcus shook his head. “I’m not really”.

Abby gave him a soft smile. “Not every friend would leave work and drive over at midnight to hear their drunk friend cry. I shouldn’t have called you. I just felt so…so _conflicted_ , and couldn’t get any of this mess packed up”. Abby glanced at the clock and repressed a heavy sigh. “And now it’s one am and I don’t know where to begin with all of this”.

Marcus tried to ignore how the world ‘friend’ burnt a hole straight through his heart, setting alight to a thousand words bursting within him. _You’re not just my friend…I care about you Abby, you know that, right? I care about you, more than you may know. I’d drive through a hurricane if that’s what you wanted. And you don’t deserve to feel like this._

 But instead he said, “Then let me help you”.

…

The two worked quietly as they sorted through Jake’s clothes and packed them into the labelled garbage bags. It was tiring work, but after an hour they had finally finished.

Marcus was sitting on the floor against her bed, resisting the temptation to take a swing from the bottle of wine himself as he watched Abby tie the last garbage bag. Abby dropped down next to him when she was done, her head falling onto his shoulder. She took a moment to examine the garbage bags filled with Jake’s clothes and sighed contently.

“Thank you”.

Marcus turned his head to her, smiling at her softly. “You don’t need to thank me Abby. I’d rather drive over and help you than sit back at the station, worrying about you”.

Abby turned her head towards him, her lips tilting into a hint of a smile. “You would worry about me?”

His heart skipped a bit, mentally kicking himself for letting the words slip out so easily. He hesitated, as if considering changing the subject, but then he said, “Of course. You had me worried when you called”.

Abby’s lips pursed together in agreement and she sighed, resting her head against his shoulder once more. “I’m a mess, aren’t I?”

“You’re never a mess Abby”.

Then he reached for her hand, giving it a small squeeze. Abby’s eyes flickered back up to his. She released his hand. He was staring at her again, with the same heart-melting, chocolate-brown eyed stare that would send her skin buzzing and insides melting all at once.

And yet Abby had no intention of averting her gaze this time.

She remembered what she had said earlier. _“I feel like I was betraying him, because I’ve been having thoughts of somebody else. I felt like I was being unfaithful to him”._ Abby wondered if Marcus remembered what she had said. Abby wondered if she wanted him to remember.

In that moment, Abby hoped that he would.

They had been dancing around _this,_ whatever _this_ was in the past few weeks. Sharing secret smiles, little touches, flirtatious banter, lingering stares…yet they never addressed what was between them.

Abby was scared. Scared that she had been reading all the wrong signs. Scared that she had been imagining whatever was going on between them.

But tonight, Abby wanted to swallow her fears.

She wanted to take this chance.

“Abby, what are you doing?”

Abby was balancing on her knees, holding onto Marcus’s shoulders as she tried to position herself in front of him. Maybe Abby would be ashamed of herself tomorrow. Maybe she would regret her actions the next morning. But right now, her head was light and her body was heavy and coursing with wine, and she was tired, _so very tired._

“Abby?”

She was straddling his leg, balancing on him, one hand on his chest and the other on his shoulder for support. She could feel his heart accelerate under her palm, see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed thickly. His hands went to her waist to steady her, sending electricity jolting through her body.

“Abby, are you okay?”

She lifted her head up to meet his eyes, smiling a soft, sweet thing. _How she loved his eyes._

“What I said earlier, when you came tonight…”

His eyes locked onto hers, patient, giving her time and space to continue. Abby took a steady breath. She tried to gather her thoughts, but it was hard when Marcus was staring at her like that, as if she was the moon and stars.

Abby parted her lips, but the words were piling up in her throat and growing thick like glue on her tongue. She closed her eyes. _God he smelt good._ Like musk and rainwater. Abby dropped her head down a little, her nose just brushing along his shoulder. Soon she was burying her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his cologne, her lips brushing against his neck.

Abby wasn’t sure if she imagined the groan that stirred from his throat as he whispered her name once more, “Abby?”

She lifted her head up. She didn’t miss the way his eyes flickered to her lips. Abby’s heart gave a little jump. It was so easy for her to close the space between them, so easy for her to lean in just a little, for her lips to fall onto his. Her eyes flickered down to his lips. She imagined how soft and supple they would be against hers. She imagined running her tongue over his lips, wondered if he would taste like spice as she had always imagined, _intoxicating…_

“God Abby, what are you doing to me?”

Abby blinked. His eyes had grown darker, pupils dilated, his breath a little shallow and hitching in his throat. She could feel heat radiating from his body, and his fingers were curling into her waist.

 Abby wondered if she looked like she wanted this just as much as he did too.  

Her eyes flickered to his lips once more. All she had to do was inch in a little closer, tilt her head to the side –

“Mom?”

Abby jumped.

Clarke was standing in the doorway, holding Pepper in her arms and blinking up at her with sleepy eyes.

Abby immediately shot up and headed over to her daughter with concerned eyes, pushing Marcus and the half a bottle of wine flushing her cheeks and the garbage bags full of her dead husband’s clothes out of her mind, her full attention on her daughter.

“Clarke, honey what is it?”

Clarke placed Pepper onto the ground and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. “Couldn’t sleep”.

Clarke’s eyes shot open when she noticed Marcus, who was standing up now. Her face broke into a smile. “Uncle Marcus?”

Marcus smiled and crossed the room to Clarke, who was already lifting her arms up, waiting for him to pick her up. “Hey Kiddo”. He swung Clarke up and into his arms.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to help your mom with some cleaning. But I think the better question is, what are you doing out of bed so late?”

Clarke brushed her fingers over his beard – she always had a fondness for playing with his facial hair - and then shrugged. “Pepper woke me up. And then I couldn’t get back to sleep”.

Marcus brushed his nose against hers, stirring a giggle in her chest. “Well how about we go downstairs and heat up some warm milk, and then get you straight back into bed?”

Clarke thought through Marcus’s offer, giving him a pondering look. “Can you finish reading Little Critter? You said last week that we would finish it”.

“Sure, if that’s okay with your Mom?”

Marcus cast Abby a look who nodded and smiled. “Only if you promise to go back to bed when Marcus has finished Missy”.

Clarke nodded. “Okay”.

Marcus grinned. “So what will it be Clarke? Helicopter or Airplane?”

Clarke gave him a toothy grin. “Airplane!”

Then Clarke was on the floor and climbing onto his shoulders and the two were off, Marcus’s arms out by his side as he ran down the stairs making wheezing airplane noises, and Clarke laughing as she went to direct the plane to the kitchen for a safe landing.

Abby watched from afar, her heart melting at the sight. Clarke’s giddy, bubbly laughs were a rare and warm surprise, but brought out so easily by Marcus. They were enough to make Abby forget about her earlier breakdown that night.

It wasn’t long before Abby heard their footsteps down the hallway and followed them. She stopped at Clarke’s doorway and peeked through the gaps in the opened door, not wanting to be seen and intrude on this private moment between them.

Marcus was tucking Clarke into bed and pressing tickling, messy raspberries all over her face until she was giggling and pushing him away. He chuckled too and sat down on the bed next to her, opening the book ‘Little Critter, Just me and my Dad’.

Abby watched Marcus read Clarke her bedtime story. Watched his adoring eyes twinkle when Clarke laughed. And as Clarke begun to drift off to sleep, she watched Marcus kiss her forehead softly and smile, as if he was watching his own daughter fall asleep for the first time.

Then Abby realised.

The truth was shocking and crashed through her body. It had always been there, unaddressed in the back of her mind and burning heavy in her heart. But watching it unfold before her very eyes tonight and clenching tightly in her chest, Abby was finally forced to acknowledge it.  

She turned away, not trusting herself to be in the same room as him.

She turned away before she could do something stupid like kissing him.

Abby turned away before she could do something so stupid like telling Marcus Kane just how much she loved him.

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel that slow burn. God I just want these 2 to hurry up and kiss already!!! Also I promise this is the last time I will change the title of this fic. This is why I don't write series.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a week since Marcus had come over that night, yet neither of them made any mention of their ‘near kiss incident’.

It was easy to avoid the topic. There was always something else to talk about – the kids, the dog, work, what was happening in their social lives (or lack thereof) – and the kids were always there to take up their attention and energy.

Abby knew that she had made the right decision not to pursue her feelings for Marcus. She valued their friendship too much. What they had was easy, it was _comfortable_ , and Abby was thankful that she didn’t risk ruining that by kissing him that night. Really, she was lucky that Clarke had walked in on them that night. And yet…

Yet Abby couldn’t stop the ‘ _what ifs’_ from circling her head. What if Clarke hadn’t walked in? What if Abby had succumbed to her desires and walked over to Marcus that night to kiss him square on the mouth? What if-

“Hey, are you alright?”

Abby startled, breaking out of her thoughts and returning back to the car and Marcus and the nineties tunes drifting from the radio.

“What? Oh, nothing. I was just…day dreaming”.

Marcus returned his gaze back to the road. “Really? Because you look worried. You were making that face”.

Abby frowned. “What face?”

“That face you have now”. Marcus flashed her an amused smile. “When you frown and your forehead furrows and your nose wrinkles. It’s cute”.

He said it in a friendly, light-hearted way, yet she felt her cheeks burn. _God damn the effect he had over her._

Abby muttered indignantly, “I do _not_ have a look”, which only pulled Marcus’s smile into a grin.

After a moment Marcus asked, “Does Clarke usually fall asleep this early?” He glanced at Clarke and Octavia - who were asleep in the backseat of the car - from his rear view mirror. “I can barely get Octavia into bed by eight”.

Abby turned around in her seat to check on the kids. “No, but I’m not surprised. You certainly tired them out before”.

Marcus’s eyes twinkled. “What can I say? I’m a natural pop star”.

Abby snorted and rolled her eyes.

They had been driving up the Coast for an hour now, where Bellamy and his team, the ‘Mighty Mountain Moose’, would be playing to compete for the ‘Little Legends Football League’ state tournament. Marcus’s Mother, Vera, had driven Bellamy there at midday so he could practice with his team, but Marcus was driving everyone else up now. Octavia and Clarke were excited about the game, and had spent the Saturday morning making a huge banner out of art paper that Abby had purchased, drawing in big letters ‘Go the Mighty Moose!’ and a giant Moose with wonky antlers in yellow and grey glittering markers, Bellamy’s team colours.

Nonetheless, it was a two-hour drive, and Clarke and Octavia’s hyper energies had quickly died down as the two girls grew bored. Abby knew that boredom would soon lead to short tempers. Fortunately, Clarke’s favourite song had come on, _their song_ , the one that Abby often sung to Clarke when she put her to bed.

_“It’s that song, Mom!” Clarke squealed, her eyes glowing with excitement._

_Marcus raised his eyebrows. “You like One Direction?” He cast Abby what could have been interpreted as a judgemental look. Abby gave him a defensive look._

_“Hey, if it helps her sleep, I won’t judge them”._

When I first saw you, from across the room I could tell that you were curious,

Oh, yeah, Girl I hope you’re sure, what you’re looking for

Cause I’m not good at making promises

_Clarke was humming along and kicking her feet in the air to the beat. Abby glanced at her daughter, amused, already knowing what was coming next. Clarke had always been a natural superstar. It was another trait that she inherited from Jake._

_Sure enough, Clarke soon burst out singing, “If you like causing trouble up in HOTEL ROOMS, and if you like having secret little ren-dey-vus, if you like to do the thinnngs we shouldn’t do, then baby I’m perfect. I’m perfect for you!”_

_Then Marcus surprised them all as he pressed the windows down and sang aloud, “And if you like midnight driving with the windows down, and if you like going places we can’t even pronounce. If you like to do whatever you’ve been dreaming about, then baby you’re perfect. Baby you’re perfect, so let’s start right now!”_

_Clarke cheered and laughed once she and Marcus finished the verse. Octavia had rolled her eyes throughout their duet, an embarrassed ‘Daaaad’ dragging out from her lips. Marcus chuckled as they slowed down to a red light, turning around to flash Octavia a smile._

_“Come O, you know this one”._

_Octavia rolled her eyes once more. Clarke nudged her in the ribs playfully as she sung, and Octavia laughed and shook her head, joining in with her friend at the second verse before finishing aloud together, “Baby I’m perfect, baby we’re perfect!”_

_Abby was laughing, watching Marcus, amused. He was drumming his fingers on the wheel, still humming the song and singing loudly with the girls during the chorus. Marcus could judge the British Boy Band all he wanted, but clearly he loved this song just as much as everyone else._

_Marcus turned to Abby, an amused glint in his eye. He pulled his sunnies onto the crown of his head and mouthed, “When I first saw you, from across the room, girl I could tell you were curious”._

_He gave her a wink and Abby burst out laughing, shaking her head and rolling her eyes like the idiot he was._

_Marcus continued to sing to Abby, his voice deeper than before, "Girl, I hope you’re sure, what you’re looking for. Cause I’m not good at making promises”._

_Abby shook her head at him. “Marcus, I see the look you’re giving me. I am_ not _going to sing”._

_“Come on Abby, we all want to hear your inner voice”._

_“Yeah Mom, come on. It’s our song,” Clarke called. “Sing with us!”_

_Abby rolled her eyes and started singing the lyrics quietly at first, and then her voice grew with the others as she sung. She turned around her seat and tickled Clarke and Octavia, singing “Baby your perfect, you girls are perfect for me-“_

_“Mooooom,” Clarke giggled with Octavia._

_Abby laughed and turned back around in her seat as the chorus was played once more. Marcus flashed her a small smile and sung, “If you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms, and if you like having secret little rendezvous. If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn’t do, then Baby I’m perfect, I’m perfect for you”._

_Abby shook her head at him, her eyes twinkling. She sung the chorus, finishing, “Then baby you’re perfect. Baby, you’re perfect”._

_“So let’s start right now!”_

_…_

They had spent the next thirty minutes singing to whatever greatest pop beat hit the radio. Soon, Clarke and Octavia’s voices grew slow and heavy with sleep, and they struggled with effort to drag out each lyric before they crashed, asleep.  

Abby yawned. She wasn’t too far away from sleep herself. Marcus cast her a sympathetic smile.

“We still have an hour to go. You should catch a quick nap while you can”.

Abby pondered the option, blinking back through heavy eyes. “You’ll wake me up if something happens right?”

“What could possibly happen?”

Abby shrugged, and yawned again. “If you’re tired yourself and want me to drive for a bit or something”.

Marcus repressed a breathy chuckle. “Abby, at this rate I think it’ll be safer if I keep on driving”.

Abby nodded, closing her eyes. She wasn’t going to fight him there. She slipped on her sunglasses, reclined her leather seat down, and rolled onto her side. The gentle thrumming of the car motions vibrating up the back of her seat lulled her into sleep.

…

It was his voice that stirred Abby from her slumber.

Marcus’s voice exuded sex, his tone richer and smoother than before with a hint of smokiness. He reminded Abby of the old country singers she used to listen to as a kid. Clearly Marcus wasn’t singing properly before, because he was hitting the notes this time. _He could really sing._ The notes vibrated in his throat and drifted from his lips in perfect harmony with the melody.

She recognised the song immediately.

_The world was on fire and nobody could save me but you._

_Strange what desire will make foolish people do._

_And I’d never dream that I’d meet somebody like you…_

 

_No I don’t want to fall in love…with you_

Abby opened her eyes, her breath catching in her throat. They were at another red light, and he was staring at her. It was the same, intense, tender stare that melted its way straight through her chest, sending her heart fluttering.

Marcus whispered, “What wicked games you play, to make me feel this way. What wicked things you do, to let me dream of you…” his lips twitched into a hint of a smile, and his eyes drifted down her features. Abby thought that he was going to reach out for her – _to brush her hair back? To hold her hand? To run his fingers down her cheek -_ but he didn’t.

_No I want to fall in love…with you._

Abby was glad that she was wearing her sunglasses so Marcus couldn’t see that she was awake. So she could close her eyes and go back to sleep and pretend that she had never woken up at all. Pretend that she didn’t catch Marcus singing to her –singing _a song that she was crazy about –_ whilst she was asleep.

_And yet…_

Abby wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to stop the car and reach over his seat and kiss him senseless. She wanted him to keep on singing to her, to sing her the lyrics between kisses, mummer the words down her neck and her breasts and all over her body.

She wanted to sing those words back to him with the same passion and intensity as he did.

Marcus’s eyes flickered back onto the road when the lights flashed green. He drove off once more, his singing quieting to a gentle hum. Abby’s eyes fluttered shut, desire still hot and coursing through her body, yet Marcus’s deep voice and the vibrations from the car were lulling her back to sleep.

Abby slipped back into a dream. She was lying in Marcus’s bed, a primal moan rattling in her throat and escaping her bruised lips as his body covered hers, his lips ghosting down her neck, the lyrics coating her skin in sweet mummers,

_“No, I wanna fall in love…with you”._

_..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my Nephew loves singing this song perfect by one direction (he's so adorable!) and i could totally imagine kabby family doing it and i thought it would be a cute idea for Abby and Marcus and everyone else to take a little road trip and rock out to music. Also, everytime I hear Wicked Games all i can think about is kabby sex; Marcus singing this song too Abby as they sway dance, whispering it in her ear and ahem...it's totally their sex song. just saying. ANYWAY, this was a short update I know but i have the next chapter written already! I promise that kabby will kiss VERY VERY VERY SOON! SO PREPARE YOURSELVES!!!


	7. Chapter 7

“GO BELLAMY GO!”

“GO THE MIGHTY MOUNTAIN MOOSESSSS!”

Bellamy looked up at the stands, his face splitting into a toothy grin. He waved up from the grassy fields to the bleachers, where Clarke and Octavia were, jumping up and down and waving their banner in the air. The referee hadn’t even blown the whistle to start the game, but already the kids were excited.

“Abby dear, I brought you some apple cider,” Vera came weaving through the bleachers to where they sat, handing the kids their snacks and passing Abby her beverage. “I wasn’t sure what you drink, but you know what they say about the goodness of apples. Good for the skin and a natural anti-aging remedy too”. 

Abby smiled. “Thank you Vera, this is great”.

_Abby had taken an immediate fondness to Marcus’s mother when she first saw the older lady, running towards Octavia and Bellamy and sweeping them into a tight bear hug, before ushering a shy Clarke to come and join the kids in her arms too._

_Abby approached Vera by Marcus’s side, drawn to the woman’s kind eyes, soft touch and warm light. She reached out to offer a hand to shake, but Vera reached for Abby and drew her into a crushing embrace. The hug startled Abby who, to her own surprise, found herself softening into the woman’s embrace._

_When Vera pulled apart she beamed, her eyes taking Abby in. “Abigail, I’m so glad to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you”._

_Abby smiled when they pulled apart, glancing at Marcus. “Good things I hope?”_

_Marcus looked almost bashful under the two women’s gazes. He went to explain, “Octavia won’t stop talking about you when Vera visits”._

_Vera smiled warmly, her gaze shifting between Marcus and Abby. “Yes, of course. Although I can’t imagine Octavia’s the only one who’s taken a fondness to you”._

_Vera cast Marcus a look, a gleam in her eye, and Abby was sure that this was the first time she had seen Marcus blush. He murmured something about checking on Bellamy, and left with Octavia and Clarke._

_Vera turned back to Abby when he left, taking her seat on the bench and patting a spot next to her._

_“I’m surprised Marcus didn’t introduce me to you sooner,” she said when Abby sat down._

_“You are?”_

_“Of course. The kids adore you, and Marcus mentions you all the time. I haven’t seen him talk about a girl this much since Carrie, and that was years ago”._

_Abby dipped her head down, a little embarrassed yet pleasantly surprised. She remembered Marcus talking about his previous girlfriend – a girl he had dated for a few years– and wondered if she should clarify any confusion and let Vera know that despite what it may look like, she and Marcus were not dating. But the conversation seemed a little messy, and Abby was growing more and more conflicted with her feelings towards Marcus and what she wanted for him, that she decided that she best not mention it._

_Instead, Abby tilted her head to the side, curious, and asked, “Just how much has Marcus told you about me?”_

_Vera took Abby’s hand in hers, brushing her thumb over her knuckles. Her eyes gleamed when she said, “Enough for me to know just how important you are to him. Marcus doesn’t have many friends; he’s not one to let others in so easily. And, well…I’m thankful that he’s found you”._

_…_

 

Bellamy played a brilliant game.

He was fast, dodging his opponents’ – the Weather Men Warriors - attempts to wrestle him to the ground and scrambling back up quickly when tackled. He had already scored two goals for his team. 

Abby had never seen Marcus look so proud. He cheered with the rest of the family and occasionally lifted Octavia and Clarke into the air so their thundering, lung-filled cheers could resound throughout the stadium.

So Bellamy’s fall was a surprise to them all.

He was holding the ball and zooming towards the goal, everyone watching with batted breath at the team’s star player, so sure that he would make it. But the Weather Men Warriors were too quick for him, and his opponents had successfully tackled him to the ground.

They waited for Bellamy to get back up again.

He didn’t.

The referee blew his whistle and jogged over. Abby could just make out Bellamy’s pained face as he drew a knee to his chest with a cry, struggling to stand up. Marcus was already up from his seat and jogging down to the field.  

“Will Bellamy be okay Mom?”

Abby looked down at Clarke and nodded. “Of course he will. He’s just hurt himself, but he’ll be fine”.

Octavia nodded furiously too. “Bellamy’s a soldier. A warrior”.

But Octavia reached out to squeeze Abby’s hand anyway.

It wasn’t long before Marcus was jogging back up the stairs, stumbling and tripping on a step along the way. He weaved his way through the bleachers and reached Abby, just managing to utter a breathless, “Abby, I need you”.

Abby was already up, her fingers clutching her bag and mind racing through the supplies – antiseptic wipes, pain killers, burn cream, bandages – tucked in her bag.

“Of course. Where is Bellamy?”

 “Down in the lockers, it doesn’t look too bad. I think it may be a cut, but he can’t walk and –“

“Marcus, you don’t need to explain,” Abby cut him off kindly, her eyes softening. “Of course I’ll look at him. Just lead the way”.  

…

It was a cut to his upper shin, just an inch long and deeper than Abby expected. Fortunately it didn’t require stiches. When Bellamy was tackled to the ground his shin had hit a rock, and as he struggled to fight off his opponents and crawl away, his skin had torn through the rock. He had twisted his ankle too.

The cut Abby could treat. But the ankle would need time and rest to properly heal.

Abby admired the brave, rigid mask Bellamy was holding as she cleaned his cut. He gritted his teeth and winced throughout the process, but didn’t shed a tear.

“You played a good game out there,” Abby offered, hoping to take his mind away from the pain. “Your father and Octavia are so proud of you-“ she stopped, smiling. “ _We’re_ all so proud of you”.

Bellamy lifted his head up and forced a smile through the stinging pain. “Did you see the goal I made thirty seconds before the first quarter finished? And when I ran and tackled Roan, even though he was twice my size and Finn bet that I couldn’t do it?” His voice bubbled with excitement, stirring a chuckle form Abby.

 “We certainly did. I’ve never seen your father this happy before”.

Bellamy grinned, his eyes shining. “Same here”. Abby briefly paused, giving Bellamy a puzzled look. Bellamy continued, “I’ve never seen Dad this happy lately either. He sings more now, which is weird. Like when he’s cooking, which is also weird cause he never used to cook,” Bellamy stops, frowning, remembering their previous weekly routine of pizza, Chinese, Taco bell and McDonalds which had been disrupted once a week when Marcus decided to make dinner.

Abby lifted an eyebrow as she went to bandage his knee. “Marcus, cooking? Seriously?”

If she recalled, Marcus’s cooking was _awful._ He had stayed back for dinner with Abby a few times when the kids complained that they didn’t want to leave so soon, and on a few occasions, offered to cook. His undercooked yet burnt-on-the-outside sausages and runny vegetable frittatas were experiences that she could never un-taste.  

Bellamy nodded, a thoughtful look passing his features. “He’s getting better though. O says he thinks you’re good at teaching him”.

Abby blinked, surprised. She repressed a small laugh and said, “Bellamy, Marcus can’t boil a potato. Even _I_ couldn’t teach your Father to cook a decent meal”.

“I told her that too”. Bellamy cringed again when she went to apply the cream onto his cut.

Abby gave him a sympathetic look and tried to distract his mind once more. “So Marcus has been singing more then?”

Bellamy nodded. “Especially when we’re driving over to see Clarke and Pepper. Actually, he sings _every time_ we drive over to your house”.

Abby tried not to let a smile takeover her face, but she felt like there were a million paper-thin wings beating in her stomach. Of course it didn’t mean anything. Yet the thought of Marcus singing cheerfully at the thought of seeing her again was one she couldn’t shake off.

Nor did she want too.

Abby was tempted to ask Bellamy more. Like what else Marcus does when she’s not there? What else does he talk about? _Sing about?_ _Dream about?_

_Would any of them involve her too?_

Abby shook her head a little and took a steady breath. _God she had to get a grip of herself._

“Hey, how’s my champion doing?”

They lifted their heads up to see Marcus, who had returned from the bathroom. He went over to mess up Bellamy’s hair, checking on his injury.

Abby smiled.  “He was very brave. I’ve never seen a kid not cry at a cut this big”.

Bellamy grinned and shrugged modestly. “It didn’t hurt that much really”.

Abby finished tying a bandage onto his cut and dropped a kiss just above his knee when she was done, sending a small blush to his cheeks. “We’re all done here”. She stood up and collected her bag. “Although he will need to rest – yes Bellamy, no more sports for the next few days if you want that ankle to heal”.  

Bellamy didn’t look to glum for long because Octavia and Clarke soon burst through the door.

“BELLAMY!”

They bolted in, enveloping Bellamy in a crushing hug.

“Does it hurt?”

“Is it going to leave a scar?” a devilish grin spread across Octavia’s lips as she looked at his leg excitedly.

Vera walked in, chuckling. “How about we give your brother some space and talk about this over ice cream?”

The kids cheered. Bellamy hopped off the stool and – with the help of Octavia and Clarke - hopped away with his friends and Vera. Marcus waited for Abby, who just folded her arms and eyed his wrist.

“Don’t think we’re leaving here until I take a look at that”.

Marcus followed her eyes to the cut along his wrist. He had cleaned up most of the blood in the bathroom, but judging from Abby’s pursed lips, it wasn’t good enough.

“Oh right. I cut it on the stairs when I tripped. Abby, it’s fine”.

Abby shook her head and went to pull out her bag again, rummaging through her belongings. “Even a small cut can get infected if it’s not cleaned and covered properly”. Abby tilted her head towards the bench.

Marcus obediently sat down as instructed, an amused “Yes Doctor Griffin” slipping from his lips.

Abby eyed him with a smile but didn’t say anything of it. She knelt down and took his hand, examining the cut. As she had suspected, Marcus was right. It wasn’t that deep, and barely an inch wide.

Abby went to work on cleaning his cut. “So I hear that your cooking’s improved”.

Marcus looked amused. “Really? Who told you that?”

“Bellamy. Quite the observant son you have there. By the way, I’m offended that after all the dinners I’ve cooked for you, you’ve never cooked for me”.

Marcus looked appalled. “I made you dinner not long ago”.

“Marcus, please do not try and tell me that the doughy mess you made in my oven was dinner”. She said it lightly and with a playful smile.

“Well your oven’s terrible, the parts are worn out. It’s no wonder that the pizza exploded”.

Abby chuckled and shook her head. “Really Marcus, you’re going to blame that on my oven?”

Marcus eyes her carefully, his look almost calculating. A smirk crept onto his lips as he said, “Well, maybe I’ll have to cook you dinner back at my place sometime then? I guarantee you that the food will be better. No broken fuses or faulty parts in my oven”.

Abby lifted her head up, her eyes blooming with surprise. _Surely he didn’t just ask her out?_

Abby swallowed, and decided to test the waters. Focusing back on her work, she casually said, “Dinner at your house? Sounds romantic”.

Marcus’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, it will be. Just me, and you. And three noisy kids and a yapping dog”.

Abby laughed. She finished cleaning his wound, stopping to admire her work. Then to Marcus’s surprise, she dropped a feathery light kiss onto his wrist, sending a shiver up his spine.

“What was that?”

Abby shrugged, smiling. “Just a little something to help it heal”.

Abby went to collect her belongings and her bag. “You know, I think your Mother forgot that we have a two hour drive back with the kids when she decided to take them out for ice cream”.

Marcus repressed a sigh, imagining the long drive back with three kids high on sugar. “Vera does love spoiling them”. He paused, thinking, turning to face Abby. “By the way, what do you think of my Mother?”

Abby blinked, surprised at his question. “Vera? I think she’s lovely. Vera’s an amazing spirit. Why do you ask?”

Marcus shrugged nonchalantly. “I was just curious”. He hesitated, studying Abby carefully before continuing, “She likes you, you know. I can tell. And that’s saying something, since she can be a hard woman to please”. He noticed the surprise in her eyes, her look questioning since she had only met his Mother today. Marcus’s eyes crinkled with a smile as he said, “Don’t seem so surprised Abby. You’re an easy woman to love”.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not entirely happy with this chapter but I did my best and I did promise to have it up by tonight. I do hope you guys enjoyed it anyway. Loving that slow burn. Half of me wants these two guys to kiss next chapter, and the other half wants to drag the slow burn out because it'll make the kiss that much better! And I live for the angsty anticipation.


	8. Chapter 8

It was ten o’clock when a soothing silence settled in the house.

Abby took a moment to relish in the peace. She breathed easily with the comfort that Marcus was down the hallway settling the kids into Clarke’s Queen sized bed, taking the duty off her shoulders for tonight. This would be Octavia and Bellamy’s third sleepover at Clarke’s, who had become a like a little sister to the siblings, and this house their second home.

Abby examined the mess in the living room with a small sigh. The bits of popcorn sticking in the carpet and buried between the leather sofa seats, the coloured pencils and art-books scattered across the floor, the movie still paused on the television screen, and the kids’ fort – a mess of blankets draped over chairs and mountains of pillows - all called for her attention.

But Abby could not be bothered to clean up tonight. After the gruelling drive back from Bellamy’s football game and running after the kids with Marcus and entertaining Vera, Abby deserved a break.

So instead, she picked up the remote, flopped onto the couch, grabbed a handful of popcorn and played the movie. Beauty and the Beast was her favourite Disney film. Yet tonight, Abby wasn’t paying attention to the film.

Alone with nothing but the white glow from the television and Pepper snoring in the fort, she let her thoughts wonder.

All evening, she kept on replaying Marcus’s words. _‘Don’t seem so surprise Abby. You’re an easy woman to love”._

Abby had shaken off his words to mean nothing more than friendship. Close friendship perhaps, but friendship nonetheless. Yet she recalled the way he sung to her in the car - _the way he looked at her –_ and she knew that it had to mean something more.

Abby wanted to ask him all evening what he meant, but the words would jam in her throat and cluster in her head. Fear would swallow her heart in its icy clutches, paralysing her tongue from complying with what she wanted to say.

_What was she so afraid of?_

Afraid that she had been reading the wrong signs and Marcus didn’t have the same feelings towards her after all?  Or afraid that they would inevitably break up and hurt the kids in the process, sacrificing their friendship for nothing?

_Afraid that she would love and lose again?_

Marcus Kane was perfect in every way. He was the father Clarke dreamt about. The best friend she never knew she needed. _The family_ she had long ago believed was not possible.

_Would she really risk all of that for love?_

“Hey.”

Abby lifted her head up, surprised eyes quickly softening when she saw him. “Hey.”

Abby swung her legs from the couch and to the ground to make some room for him. Marcus sank down next to her.

“How are the kids?”

“All tucked in. They were out like a light bulb as soon as their heads touched the pillows.”

Abby smiled fondly. “They had a long day.”

Then to his surprise, Abby shifted her position and snuggled next him. Her arm looped through his as her head rested on his shoulder. Abby closed her eyes, savouring the warmth from his body and softening into his side.

Marcus looked down at her, an amused smile touching his lips. “Comfortable?”

Abby nodded and breathed out a content _“mmm hmmm.”_

It was the perfect time to ask Marcus just how he felt towards her. _‘You’re an easy woman to love Abby.’_ Abby needed to know what he meant. Yet when she lifted her eyes to meet his, the nerves would crawl in her chest like hundreds of squelching critters crawling on top of each other, and the words would clump in her throat once more.

So instead Abby tilted her head towards the screen and said, “Clarke loves this movie. We watch it every Saturday night together, and this is her favourite scene. She loves watching Bell’s true love’s tears bring the Beast back to life. I don’t think she’s ever missed this part before.”

Marcus glanced at the television, watching the rose wilt and petals fall in the glass dome. “Clarke’s talked about this film a lot. Apparently I remind her of the Beast? I’m not sure if I should be offended or not.”

Abby laughed. She could so clearly imagine Clarke saying that. Abby tore her gaze away from the screen and to Marcus. “Well, I can see the similarities.” Abby drew her legs up onto the couch and folded them near her side, turning to face him with a thoughtful look. “You have a kind heart, despite how you may act in front of others. It makes it more special really, because only those you choose to let inside can see just how deeply you love.”

Shock bloomed in Marcus’s eyes, his breath hitching in his throat. Speechless. He searched her soft, golden brown eyes and found nothing but kindness and sincerity.

A playful smile graced Abby’s lips, her eyes twinkling. “Of course, I can see the physical resemblance too.”

Marcus lifted an eyebrow, smiling. “Oh?”

Abby hummed in agreement, leaning in. Her fingers threaded through his hair, running through his dark waves. They drifted down the slope of his cheeks, burying into his beard, nails gently scratching at his chin. She wasn’t sure if she imagined the groan vibrating in his throat.

Abby finally released her fingers from his hair and said, “You two have a lot of hair.”

Marcus smirked, amused. “You know, I’m starting to think that you’re a little too fascinated with my hair. You’re worse than Clarke.”

Abby’s lips crawled into a playful smirk of her own, head tilting to the side. “And what if I am?”

Marcus’s eyes crinkled around the edges, sending her breath catching in her throat and pulse sprinting. She was falling into his eyes again, always mesmerised by the soft shades of brown, like melting chocolate. She loved that despite the furrows pinching his features and dark circles counting sleepless nights as a single parent, his eyes always held so much love.

_So much love for her._

Abby would happily drown in his eyes.

Abby could just hear Bell crying in the background, sobbing over the Beast’s body. This scene always made Abby cry. Yet she didn’t care for it tonight. Because Marcus’s hand was slipping into hers, gentle fingers unfolding her hand and tracing patterns into her palm, _comforting her_. Pleasant tingles swam from her fingertips and up her arm.  Abby swore that he was closer to her than before.

“Marcus,” Abby began softly. “This evening, when you said-“

Abby took a steady breath. It was hard to talk when he was staring at her like that, as if she was the first sunrise since winter. Abby knew that she definitely wasn’t imagining the closing distance between them. His finger brushed over her knuckles, making her shudder, the words once again evaporating from her mind. So she closed her eyes, savouring the feeling of the soothing patterns his thumb was drawing on her hand.

“When I said?” Marcus asked in a whisper.

Abby opened her eyes, her breath catching in her throat. He was _so close_ , so close that if he dipped his head down their foreheads would meet. So close that she could count every lash on his eye. So close that she could _smell_ him – musk and aftershave and leather and something _so uniquely him_ – so close that all she could smell was his scent, fogging her mind.

So close that when her eyes flickered to his lips, she felt her lips tingle, excited at the very thought of kissing him.

Abby swallowed. Her head cleared a little. Her breaths were shallow, making the words escape in little tremors when she said, “When you said that I was an easy woman to love.”

“I meant what I said.”

“But what did you mean?”

Marcus smiled a soft tug of the lips. “Abby, I think you know what I mean.”

Then just to be sure, he kissed her.

The kiss took her breath away. _It was everything she had ever dreamed of._ His lips were gentle and tender against hers. And as Abby’s lips began to respond, her eyes fluttering close, head tilting to the side so her nose brushed against his, she surrendered herself to the sensations.

_Heart galloping. Head spinning. Lips burning against his._

He gently sucked her lower lip, stirring a moan from her throat. She felt him smirk, before he did it again, rolling his teeth into her lower lip too _._ Abby moaned once more and tangled her fingers through his hair, lips parting his to kiss him harder, drinking into his kisses. His hand curled around her neck, guiding her further into his lips until she was so close that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

Her breaths were deep and shallow through her nose, lungs bursting for air. _But god his lips were amazing._ Abby never wanted to let him go. Wanted to hold him there with her, keep on kissing him until she was dizzy, slip her tongue through his lips and run it along his teeth again.

_She would die happily drowning in his lips._

It was Marcus who pulled away first, pupils dilated and breathless. His forehead dipped down to meet hers, taking a moment to catch his breath.

It was Abby who spoke first with a tinkling laugh, “And to think I thought that I had been reading this wrong the entire time.”

Marcus lifted his head up, the shock in his eyes quickly vanishing to pure joy. “God Abby, you really didn’t know this entire time? I’m _crazy_ about you.”

Abby inhaled sharply at his words. Her heart was swelling again, so full of love that she had been harvesting towards Marcus since she fell into his arms that day at the beach. So full that she thought her chest would burst.

Yet try as she may, Abby struggled to find the words to tell him just how much he meant to her. Words that she struggled to catch – like smoke slipping through her fingers- words too bulky and messy to make sense of. Words so plain and tiny and insignificant to begin to describe the flood and fire of feelings she held for him.

So instead, she let the words slip from her mind. Then she captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

Wait, no.

Her mouth devoured his.

They were insistent against his, rough yet yearning, pouring the flame of feelings she had wanted to convey to him all along. Marcus was responding with equal passion, an animal that had been starved for too long, waiting and watching, finally sating his hunger. Their tongues danced together, and hands explored new territory – fingers combing through hair, brushing against skin, curling into flesh – clumsy and hungry, unsure of where to go yet wanting to be everywhere at once.

Abby nibbled his lip, stirring a growl from his throat. Her heart jumped with excitement. The noises she drew from her throat…they made her want him more, _pushed her further,_ made her want to pin him to the couch and take him there.

Marcus seemed to have the same idea. His hands were curling into her waist and guiding her onto her back. Abby’s hands tangled through his hair once more as she pulled him down for another bruising kiss.

_His lips were electric._

Everywhere they touched jolted electricity through her body and sent her flesh tingling, _burning_ , and stirring to life.

His lips peppered kisses down her skin and buried into the hollow of her neck, sucking and nipping and stirring noises in her that Abby didn’t know she had. They nibbled her ear and sucked a tender area behind her ear. They ghosted over the dip of her breasts and retraced the areas that had made her moan, her soft mewls melting heavenly into his ears.

Abby briefly registered a _thud_ as the force of their movements on the couch knocked the bowl of popcorn over. But _God, she couldn’t care less_ , because his fingers were ghosting down her ribcage and his hand squeezing her arse.

_But they were so very far away from where she needed them most._

Abby tilted her head back, a breathy cry escaping her bruised lips. “ _Marcus.”_

Desire was pooling hot and thick between her thighs, yet Marcus’s body was still hovering just above her. Abby lifted her hips just a little, hoping to ease the friction. She felt Marcus smirk beneath her lips, _teasing her,_ hands tracing down her hips and caressing her inner thighs through the denim material.

Finally, he lowered his body onto hers. Body pressing her into the cushions, he rolled his hips into hers, sending a gasp flying from her lips. She could feel his arousal, growing hot and hard against her, as he began to grind up against her, easing the pressure between her thighs.

His lips returned back to hers, kissing her slowly, _achingly slow_. Their kisses soon grew passionate, _hungry,_ lips claiming hers time and time again, swallowing each of her moans.

“ _Marcus…”_

Abby had to stop. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that kids were light sleepers. Kids were curious. Kids were night time wonderers.

Their kids could walk in on them at any moment.

But it was hard to take control of her actions when Marcus’s lips were dissolving her body to mush, turning her body into a slave to his touch and her desires.

Then she heard another _thump_ , followed by a _crunch._  

Abby lifted her head up, eyes wide and alert. “Did you hear that?”

The crunching noise continued.

Their hearts jumped together.

Abby struggled to push Marcus off her so she could sit up, searching for the source of the noise. It didn’t take the two long to find Pepper near the couch, munching on the popcorn.

Abby laughed, relief flooding her features. “Thank god. I thought it was the kids.”

Marcus chuckled too. “I don’t even want to imagine how that encounter would go down.”

Marcus took a moment to stare at Abby, his heart flipping in his chest. He had never seen her smile like this before. It was radiating, her eyes sparkling like they had captured sprinkles of starlight. Her features were flushed, lips swollen, hair a tousled mess. She was sitting in her loose, buttoned up top and jeans – so casual from what she usually wore - but she could have been dressed in fine silk or rags for all Marcus cared.

_She was stunning._

Abby laughed once more, and Marcus swore that he would spend his life chasing down that laugh.

“You’re staring Marcus.”

Marcus smirked. “Am I?”

Then he closed the space between them and kissed her again…and again… and again.

Abby laughed into his lips, her hands trying to push him away, yet mouth still moving, _responding,_ unable to resist his taste. “Marcus, I need to get Pepper.”

She felt him protest – _“Dog can wait” –_ between kisses. She gasped when she felt his lips venturing down her neck again, fingers inching up her top. _God damn this man._

Somehow, Abby managed to pull Marcus apart from her with a _‘Unless you want to explain to them why Pepper is sick the next morning, then we need to get her now’,_ her body already protesting at the loss of contact.

Marcus scooped Pepper up so Abby could clean up the popcorn mess. He watched her disappear into the kitchen to chuck the popcorn into the bin, when he heard footsteps padding down the hallway.

Octavia emerged from the shadows, her teddy bear under her arm, wincing at the bright glow from the television.

“Dad?” Octavia murmured sleepily when she saw Marcus sitting on the couch. “What are you still doing here?”

Marcus eyes bloomed with surprise. “Hey princess. I think the better question is, why’re you up so late?”

Octavia shrugged. “I heard a noise and woke up. Then couldn’t get back to sleep so thought I’d go for a walk.”

Marcus opened his arms for Octavia, who fell into his arms and sank into his lap. Abby returned shortly, surprised at their new night time guest.

Marcus cast her an apologetic smile. “O came to join us.”

Octavia smiled when she saw Abby, her features knitting into a frown. “Aunt Abby, why is Dad still here? Is he sleeping over too?”

Abby smiled.  “Well, it is late and Marcus is very tired, so I suggested that he spend the night here.” Abby stopped, wide, unsure eyes darting to Marcus. “That is, if your Father is okay with that?”

Marcus smiled at her, a suggestive gleam in his eye. “He’s more than okay with that.”

Abby mirrored his smile. She was a little lost in his gaze and the silent promise of what was to come that night.

Octavia seemed oblivious to the secret smile the two adults were sharing. She was crawling over Marcus’s lap and next to his side, trying to get comfortable on the couch. She rubbed her eyes and asked, “Dad, can I stay out here with you? Could you tell me the story of the one-eyed Janitor again?”  

It was the classic story filled with a haunted school and gruesome, barbaric fighting, and a one-eyed janitor with a hook and vengeance for his death. Somehow, it always helped Octavia sleep.

Marcus nodded. He wrapped his arms around her, guiding her down so she was laying down, her head resting on his lap and knees curled to the side. Marcus rubbed her arms soothingly, casting a disappointed look at Abby.

Abby smiled fondly and walked over, kissing Octavia’s forehead. “Don’t keep your father up too late though.” Abby glanced at Marcus, a suggestive twinkle in her eye. “He’s very tired, and I’m sure would like to come up to bed soon.”

Marcus didn’t miss the hint of a wink she cast his way, or the way her hips swayed as she walked up the stairs.

It took all of the control he had within him to not chase her up the stairs.

Marcus settled back into the couch and begun to tell Octavia the story, but his thoughts elsewhere. They drifted up the stairs and too Abby’s bedroom, remembering the secret look they had shared that night, full of love and promises of what tonight would bring.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally kissed! I hope I did the kabby kiss justice. I've seen a lot of kabby parallels with beauty and the beast and just had to slip it in somewhere. Now, originally this chapter was going to be 4000 words because i had another scene leading into this. But when editting my fic I decided to take it out because it didn't fit in at all and this chapter was better without it. However, I will post it on my blog as kind of a 'deleted scene' to this fic; if anyone wants to read it i'm charmingly-evil on tumblr. Should get it up there by Monday :) 
> 
> Anyway please let me know what you guys thought! Also I want to thank everyone who's left me such sweet, encouraging comments on the fic. They really motivate me to write. I have an exam on tuesday and going on a holiday the next week, so I hope to have the next 2 updates up by Wednesday/thursday definitely before I leave to the Great Barrier Reef. 
> 
> Oh and fair warning as you guys probably figured, the rating may get boosted up next update. *fans self* BE PREPARED


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: explicit um sexual content? The ratings gone up anyway.

It took longer than expected, but after a cup of hot chocolate and two gruesome bedtime tales that would give any camper the chills, Marcus finally got Octavia to sleep.

Marcus sat still. He waited a few heartbeats and brushed matted strands of dark hair from Octavia’s cheek, making sure that she was asleep. Feeling reassured, Marcus gently removed her head from his lap and shifted down the couch. Carefully, he scooped Octavia up into his arms – joints cracking and muscles protesting with the sudden movement – to carry her to bed. He laid her down in-between Clarke and Bellamy, their soft, small bodies fitting perfectly together on Clarke’s Queen size bed.

Through the slithers of moonlight he could just make out their chests rising and falling from the bed sheets with their easy breaths, and the blissful smiles playing on their features from whatever pleasant dreams or exciting adventures they were having. He watched Octavia’s arms unconsciously drape over Bellamy and Clarke wriggle closer to Octavia, little sleepy groans and _‘mmmph’_ noises escaping her lips. Once again, Marcus felt his chest swell at the sight of his kids, Clarke included. It looked so natural.

It looked like home.

Marcus turned around and carefully shut the door with a tiny ‘click’. He pressed his ear against the door and waited, making sure that he didn’t wake up any of the kids up, before he headed down the hallway.

With all of the adrenaline pumping from his heart and rushing in his veins at the very thought of opening Abby’s bedroom to find her there waiting for him, Marcus was surprised that he wasn’t bolting up the stairs.

But if his feet weren’t running, his mind certainly was, recounting numerous nights he had spent dreaming about being with this woman, days he had spent with her, his thoughts consumed with darker fantasies of what he wanted to do with her, but never in his life believing that Abby would return his feelings or desires too.

Marcus made his way up the stairs and paused outside her door. It was open just a little, so flickers of amber light spilt through the door and danced down the hallway. He swore he could hear music playing too. Marcus took a steady breath, recomposing himself once more, hoping that his face didn’t betray just how much he wanted her, before he opened the door.

Those hopes died when he laid eyes on her.

Her freshly brushed hair was let loose from her usual braid, tumbling down her shoulders in wild, honey brown waves. She was wearing a black chemise, black, silky material that fell just off her shoulders and floated midway down her thighs, contrasting with her vanilla complexion. All Marcus could see was skin. The swells of her breasts rising and falling, almost bursting from the thin lace fabric confines, flickers of skin exposed from the trims of lace down her waist and the dip of her breasts, the slit riding high near her thigh…

He couldn’t stop staring. Abby dipped her head down under his burning gaze, biting back a shy smile.

_God she was breathtaking._

Marcus swallowed back the lump of nerves in his throat and clamped his jaw back shut. Then he noticed the candles around them, lining up the table and shelves, permeating sweet rose water fragrances and splashing light across the room. Marcus watched the fire light play across Abby’s features.

And that was when he recognised the music playing in the background, because he noticed her lips moving in sync with the tune, mouthing the lyrics.

His heart skipped a precious beat. Pure shock and emotion crashed through his chest and nailed him to the ground.

A shy smile danced on her lips as she began to sing…

_The world was on fire and nobody could save me but you,                                                    Strange what desires will make foolish people do.                                                                                And I’d never dream that I’d meet somebody like you…_

She was walking slowly towards him now, one foot in front of the other, elegant like a cat, but Marcus couldn’t wait for her any longer. He crossed the room in a few quick strides and took her in his arms, hands curling into her waist.

Marcus closed his eyes, his nose brushing through her hair and down along her collarbone, breathing in her scent – _coconut and citrus._ Hands sculpted down her side and up the backs of her thighs, running the silky material through his fingers. Lips ghosted over her jaw, but never quite kissing her. Fingers explored every inch of her skin, but never where her body craved them to be most of all. A moan vibrated in her throat as Abby looped her arms around his neck.

Marcus’s voice was hoarse when he murmured, “God, you are stunning.”

Abby smirked, her lustrous eyes flickering to his. “Thought you’d like it.”

Marcus nibbled the curve of her ear. “I do. I love all of this.”

And Abby knew that he wasn’t just referring to her dress.

Marcus finally brought his lips to hers, kissing her slowly, _torturously_ slow. She angled her head up to deepen the kiss, her tongue soon joining his. Marcus snaked his arms around her waist as their chests crashed together, breaths quickening and shallow with desire.

_And I want to fall in love…with you…_

Marcus dragged his lips away from hers, smirking at the groan that escaped her throat at the loss of contact. Then he was dropping kisses down her throat, nipping and sucking her skin. Abby let out a breathy sigh as she tilted her head back to grant him further access. His lips were heavenly, her skin like ice and his every kiss and touch like fire, slowly thawing her, sending her soft body melting into his arms.

Marcus peppered kisses down the curve of her neck, murmuring, “What wicked games you play, to make me feel this way.”

His lips ventured down between the swell of her breasts, stirring a gasp from her lips. His beard tickled her breasts, teeth nipping over sensitive skin.

“What wicked things to do, to let me dream of you.”

Abby moaned as his lips continued their sweet torture, his fingers soon following, squeezing her curves and sliding up her thigh. His tone was thick and heavy with lust as his lips worshipped her, coating the song over her skin.

_And I want to fall in love…with you_

Abby tangled her fingers through his hair and brought his lips up for another heart-stopping kiss. Abby groaned into his mouth when she felt his hands pushing her dress up the backs of her thighs and curving around her arse. Abby arched her body up towards his, desire burning quickly between her thighs, wanting to draw him tightly against her, melt into his body, bury herself deep inside of him.

Their kisses were hungry now, _mouths parched_. Her lips tore through his, swallowing his kisses as if she was gulping down air like a drowning sailor. Without breaking the kiss, her fingers tugged at his shirt, fingers fumbling with his buttons. Marcus chuckled at her clear frustration and helped her undo the buttons, before Abby all but tore the material off his shirt. Dark, hungry eyes roamed over his body before her hands quickly followed, running over his chest. She felt his muscles contract underneath her fingers, felt him shiver underneath her touch.

Abby gasped when she felt him press her arse forward so their hips crashed together, a moan falling from her lips. Fingers curling into his shoulders, Abby hooked a leg around his waist and arched her body further towards his, desperately trying to ease the building pressure between her thighs.

“Oh God Abby,” Marcus groaned into her lips.

Then he lifted her into his arms, strong arms around her waist, stirring a gasp from her lips. Abby tangled her arms around his neck, laughing at the surprising yet romantic gesture. Their heads dipped down to meet each other, lips coming together for another passionate kiss.

“You’re full of surprises tonight,” Abby whispered into his lips as he carried her to bed. She felt him grin into her mouth as he whispered,

“I could say the same about you.”

Marcus kissed her slowly as he laid her onto the bed, her hair tumbling like a golden cloud around her head. Abby’s eyes locked onto his as he hurriedly went to undo his belt, a gasp parting her bruised lips when she watched his jeans fall to the ground, desire shadowing her eyes.

Marcus smirked, taking his time, clearly enjoying the way her eyes devoured him. Finally, he crawled on top of her body, his mouth claiming hers. His hands were already running down her body, fingers exploring every inch of her skin. Abby’s heart pounded, adrenaline rushing with anticipation, absolutely dizzy with desire.

“Marcus, I need-“

Marcus stopped, lifting his lips from her neck, concerned eyes finding hers. “Abby, what is it?”

He saw the hesitation flicker past her eyes, sensed it in her voice. He could always read her so well.

Abby offered him a small smile, and breathed, “Tonight, I just need…slow. Is that alright?”

Marcus’s eyes softened, surprised at the hesitation in Abby’s voice, surprised that she thought that he would ever hurt her. He read the discomfort in her eyes so clearly, and knew that she hadn’t been with someone else since her husband. Marcus cupped her cheek and dipped his forehead down to meet hers, kissing her softly.

“Of course. Abby, I’ve got you.”

Her lips melted into a smile. “I know.”

And she trusted him, completely, with every beat of her heart.

Abby captured his lips in hers. Her hands ventured down the slope of his shoulders and down his torso, fingers exploring, before coming to a stop at the waistband of his shorts. Marcus reached for her hands, halting their movements.

He kissed her softly and said with a smirk, “Me first.”

Then his hands were ghosting down her arms and sides, tickling her ribs, making her squirm and shiver under his tingling touches. He dropped tender kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. His tongue followed, trailing down her throat and between the dip of her dress, tracing over the trim lace that outlined the curves of breasts. Marcus smirked, enjoying the high-pitched mewls he was stirring from her lips. Then he dragged his lips down and kissed her breast, slowly at first, tongue teasing her nipple through the lace material. His hand drifted over to take care of the other breast, thumb flickering over a nipple, squeezing her tender flesh.

“Is this good?”

Abby gasped and nodded. She arched her back further into his mouth, tugging at the ends of her nightdress with a frustrated “ _Off.”_

Marcus smirked and helped her out of the dress, tossing it aside. Then he took her breast in his mouth, drawing a long awaiting moan from her throat. Sucking and biting, tongue circling over her flesh, _tasting her,_ exploring, _learning._ The sensation of his beard scratching purposefully against her nipple was enough to make her wet with desire. His hand soon followed, squeezing her other breast, fingers toying with her nipple.

“ _Marcus, please.”_

Marcus grinned. His hand and mouth alternated between each breast, continuing their sweet torture until her breasts were rosy pink and she was a withering mess underneath him. Without stopping his ministrations, Marcus slipped a hand between her thighs. He could feel her through the thin material, hot and soaking wet for him. Marcus slowly stroked her, sending her hips jerking.  

“ _Marcus please,_ I need you _._ Baby, _please.”_

The desire dripping in her tone was enough to send him groaning. He lifted his head from her breasts, a teasing smirk on his lips. “Please what?”

Abby tilted her head back as his hand continued to stroke her. “Please…please- _oh_ -“

Her sentence quickly broke into a gasp as he slid a finger inside her. Marcus kissed her breasts once more, before he peppered a trail of kisses down her stomach, fingers skimming lightly down her sides. Gripping her hips, he took her waistbands between his teeth and tugged the material down, before discarding it to the side. He ran his hands up her smooth legs. His lips quickly followed, dropping feathery light kisses up her inner thighs, beard tickling her sensitive skin, making her shiver with pleasure.

Then he buried his mouth between her thighs, releasing a breathless cry.

 

 

His mouth was gentle at first, his kisses just light brushes at her centre, _burning_ and torturously slow. Abby tangled her fingers through his hair, guiding his mouth deeper inside of her, crying, _begging_ him for more. Grinning, Marcus responded, his kisses growing deeper, mouth swallowing more of her, burying in so deep that she could feel his beard scratching inside her too and _oh God. He was tasting her._ His tongue long, slow strokes, drawing circles around her core, lapping up her juices.

Abby tilted her head back and lifted her hips, trying to take more of him in, tugging his hair painfully now. His name fell from her lips, in whispers, in moans, in short, sharp gasps. And with every cry of his name, Marcus followed. Burying his mouth deeper within her, darting his tongue deep inside her, suckling at her folds. He was wild, _starved._ His mouth was nuzzling further, teeth grazing her lightly, tongue retracing sensitive spots that would bring her hips jerking and lips crying _“Baby please, right there, oh-“_

He could feel her getting closer, so he quickened his pace. Mouth parting and swallowing her clit, sending her higher, and higher, and higher…

Abby came with his name on her lips, waves of pleasure rippling throughout her body. She barely had a chance to catch her breath before Marcus was kissing his way up her body and capturing her mouth in his. Abby’s tongue parted his lips, exploring his mouth, moaning when she tasted her juices on him.

She could feel him when he pressed his body down onto her, hot and hard against her thigh. Quickly, Abby wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled him onto his back, smirking at his stunned expression. Straddling his waist, Abby dipped her head down and captured his lips in a biting kiss. Then her lips ventured south, marking bites and bruises all over his chest. Her hands soon followed, exploring his chest, feeling his muscles tense and contract under her fingers, making him shiver underneath her.

Abby wriggled her hips against his as she kissed her way back up his chest again and towards his lips, grinning. She was looking forward to seeing the marks she had left on him the next morning.

“ _Abby, please.”_

He was growing harder and harder against her now. Abby enjoyed the reactions she could draw out of him, the hiss he gave when she raked her nails down her chest, the groan vibrating in his throat when she grinded her hips up against his, with nothing but the cotton material of his briefs separating them.

Twinkling eyes locking onto his, Abby slipped her hand inside his shorts and wrapped her fingers firmly around him. She felt him twitch beneath her, his hips jerking upwards. Slowly, she began to stroke, watching pure pleasure consume his features as he groaned.

Unable to keep his desires unsated for much longer, Marcus sat up and captured her mouth in another biting kiss. Leaning back against the bed wall, he helped Abby tug off his shorts.

Then slowly she sank into him, taking him in bit-by-bit. Long, inaudible gasps pushed through their lips when she finally had him buried inside her. Slowly, she rocked her hips against his, feeling him move inside her as they found an equal rhythm.

_He felt incredible._

Marcus stretched her open so hard and deep and _perfect_ , filling her completely. With each shallow thrust Abby’s breath would catch in her throat, head tilting back with pleasure. She rode him hard and fast, hips rising and plunging into his, rotating from side to side, moaning, gasping, crying as his hips met hers with equal intensity.

She enjoyed having him underneath her. Enjoyed watching his usual aloof and steady features shatter with pure pleasure. She took pleasure in the gasps and groans she tore from his throat with each thrust and wriggle of her hips. Loved hearing her name fall heavenly from his lips, and the occasional “ _God Abby,”_ and “ _Baby you feel so good.”_

Marcus dipped his head down and took a breast in his mouth, his hand enveloping the other, tearing another cry from her lips. “Are you close?”

Abby nodded and managed a “ _so close_ ” inbetween gasps.

So Marcus quickened his pace, hands grasping her arse to meet his thrusts, their chests crashing together each time they met. It was rough and wild and Abby’s moans were now high-pitched cries, begging him to fuck her harder, _faster_. Marcus obliged. He seized her lips in a hungry kiss, swallowing her moans.

Somewhere along the lines their fingers intertwined together, so soft and gentle and _loving_. Abby brought their hands up above Marcus’s head, pressing them against the bed wall as she plunged deeper into him.

Through the dizzying pleasure, Marcus took a moment to stare at her. Tangled strands of hair catching on sleek skin, teeth biting swollen lips, pure pleasure contorting her features, yet when her eyes locked onto his, they shined with so much care and love and _happiness._

Marcus felt himself falling in love with her all over again. He kissed her hair, her cheek, her brow, wanting to do nothing more but make her feel this good now and for every night to come.

“ _Marcus.”_

Their foreheads dropped down to meet each other, and Marcus could see the waves of pleasure building up within her and shattering her features. With one final thrust she came, his name falling from her lips in a sharp cry. Marcus closely followed her with a few more thrusts.

They stayed like that for a while, buried within each other, nothing but the sounds of their breathless pants filling the air. Abby buried her face into his neck, her hands steadying on his shoulders as she tried to catch her breath. When she lifted her head up Marcus was staring at her as if she was one of his paintings hanging on the wall, beautiful, _bewitching_ , his eyes lost in her gaze.

“God, you are so beautiful.”

Then he kissed her giddy smile away.

Abby tenderly brushed her fingers through his hair and rolled off his lap and onto her side. Marcus slid back down so he was on his back, and Abby immediately snuggled next to him. He shivered when he felt her fingers crawling back up his chest, tracing patterns down his skin.

“Why did we wait so long to do this?”

Marcus rolled onto his side so he was facing her, his lips cracking into a smile. “Believe me Abby. If I knew that you wanted this for so long, I would have jumped on you sooner.”

Abby laughed and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Same here. Much, _much_ sooner.”

Marcus brushed a few strands of hair away from her eyes, remembering. “How did you know about the song?”

Abby frowned briefly, before she remembered the music she had played when she heard Marcus walking up the stairs. Abby smiled shyly. “I was awake that day in the car when you were singing it. Well, your voice kind of woke me up.”

His eyes were warm and loving and searching hers when he spoke, “You know, that day when Chris Isaak played on the radio, that was when I knew.”

“Knew what?”

Marcus smiled. “Knew that I was in love with you.”

Abby’s eyes rounded, stunned. Her heart sprinted at his words, words that were like silk to her ears, but still not daring to believe it. “You l-love me?”

Marcus chuckled incredulously. “Love you? Abby I told you, I’m _crazy_ about you. You really didn’t know?”

Abby felt her heart constrict in her chest, joyful tears biting behind her eyes and building in her throat. And when Marcus took her hand, she inhaled sharply, speechless.

“Abby, you are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. _I love everything about you._ Your eyes, your lips, your laugh. The way you love unconditionally, the sacrifices you make for your family. Your courage and your fight. Your heart, your strong, _loving_ heart that loves so easily, that is so quick to let others in. _That let me in_.” Marcus kissed her hair, her brow, and then finally her lips. “I love all of you.”

Tears were pooling in her eyes now. Abby swallowed, trying to summon the words she had to tell Marcus just how much she meant to him. But the words were tangling and coming lost in her head like puffs of air, so instead Abby captured her lips in his. Legs and arms tangled together as she drew him closer towards her body.

When she finally released him the tears had ceased, and her smile was radiating. “Marcus, I love you too.”

Elation broke across his features. “Really?”

Abby smiled and brushed her nose against his, laughing. “Really.”

Then his lips were capturing hers once more. Abby laughed as he rolled her onto her back and dropped kisses on her cheek, her jaw, her neck, _drowning her in kisses_ , all the while murmuring his love for her in her lips and all over her body.

They made love to each again, and again, and again, their heart tugging confessions of love coming in soothing whispers coating slick bodies and breathless cries in moments of pure pleasure, carrying out into the night.

_I love you_

_I love you_

_I love you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wicked Games is so their sex song! It's sexy and loving and really captures the chemistry kabby has and their obvious undeniable desires for each other, so i had to write their first time to this song. I'm not the best at writing smut so I hope I did this chapter justice. Please let me know if this worked out well, and happy kabby week guys!


	10. Chapter 10

Glittering veils of sunlight slipped through the windows and climbed up the bed sheets and over their sleeping bodies, stirring Abby from her slumber.

Abby’s eyes fluttered open, her back arching from the mattress in a long and leisurely stretch. She opened her eyes, stopping mid yawn when she saw the body sleeping next to her. He was sleeping on his side, an arm buried under his pillow and the other draped over her waist protectively, his legs still tangled with hers. He had barely moved a muscle all night. 

Abby’s lips crawled into a sleepy smile. She watched this man sleep next to her – this beautiful, selfless, _incredible_ man who chose _her_. Who chose to be with her, to wake up next to her, who never chose to fall in love with her, yet confessed just how madly and deeply in love he was with her last night again, and again, and again. Abby felt her heart swell up and ache in her chest with all of the love she held for Marcus, contained tightly and close to bursting like champagne. Yet she couldn’t stop thinking about it, couldn’t stop staring at him and replaying the memories of last night.

Abby inched closer to Marcus and reached for him, fingers brushing away the waves of un-kept hair that fell on his forehead. She wondered if she would ever get sick of how soft they felt running through her fingers.

Abby dipped her head down to nuzzle her face in his neck. She loved how high she felt when she inhaled in his musky scent, as if she could melt to liquid yet float ten feet high all at once. She loved how soft his skin felt against her lips when she kissed his collarbone and down his throat. She loved feeling him shiver when her fingers ghosted up his arm, even when he was sleeping. She loved feeling his heart beat soothingly against her hand, so strong and steady and full of love.

Abby loved everything there was to love about waking up to Marcus Kane.

Balancing on her elbow to steady her weight, Abby leaned over so she could place soft kisses on him, down his brow, his hair, his cheek, his jaw…Abby briefly registered Marcus stirring beneath her before he turned his head to the side, capturing her lips in his. Abby grinned as she returned his kiss. Their kiss was slow and a little clumsy, but filled with so much warmth all the same. She felt his body stir underneath her, his arms sliding out from under the sheets and pillow to wrap around her waist.

Marcus finally broke the kiss, his voice rough and heavy with sleep as he murmured, “Morning.”

Abby smiled blissfully as she breathed, “Morning. How did you sleep?”

Marcus grinned, his eyes twinkling. “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

Then he kissed her again, because he could, because she was his just as much as he was hers. Marcus kissed her with so much passion and love, fingers skimming up her back and sides, so familiar with every inch of her skin, the ticklish spot under her right rib, the backs of her thighs that he loved to squeeze to make her moan. He kissed her until he was dizzy and felt Abby melting into his arms.

Gripping onto her waist, Marcus rolled her on top of him, stirring a bubbly laugh from her throat. Abby straddled his waist so she was sitting comfortable on top of him, her hair dangling and tickling his face.

“Hi,” Abby whispered, and brushed her nose against his.

Marcus grinned. “Hi.”

Abby loved how comfortable and tingling warm she felt waking up next to Marcus. How safe he made her feel when he wrapped his arms around her waist, fingers tracing patterns down her back. She loved how his lips would twitch when she brushed her fingers through his hair, and how her heart would race when his lips tugged into a lopsided grin.

Abby loved how they didn’t need words to communicate, but that she could tell just how much Marcus loved her by staring into his eyes.

Abby’s fingers trailed down his chest, her husky tone oozing with desire as she murmured, “So last night was pretty amazing. I was hoping that we could continue the magic today.”

Marcus’s eyes twinkled suggestively. “Oh really?”

Abby began to roll her hips against his, smirking at the strangled moan she elicited in his throat as she murmured a ‘a huh’, before lowering her mouth to his. She kissed him slowly, her tongue sweeping across his lips and intertwining with his. She hummed a content ‘ _mmm_ ’ into his lips when she felt his hands squeezing her arse, his hips already rising up to meet hers.

Abby gasped when she felt his hand slip between their bodies and between her thighs. She tilted her head back in pleasure when she felt him slowly stroke her, before his fingers curled inside of her. Abby arched her hips to meet his fingers, her face already flushed and teeth biting back a moan.

“ _Marcus.”_ Abby moaned his name breathlessly, concern burning in the back of her mind that their kids would be awake shortly.

But to hell with getting caught. She was not going to ask him to stop now.  

Marcus loved watching her like this. Watching her walls crumble and desire flume in her eyes, watching pure pleasure shatter her features. Watching her lips fall to cry out his name, _begging him for more,_ and he all too willingly obliged. In these moments when her eyes were so full of love and desire and want _for him_ , Marcus was sure that she had never been so breathtakingly beautiful before.

He pushed himself off the mattress with one hand and captured her lips in his, swallowing her moans. He could feel the waves of pleasure rolling though her with each thrust of her hips, crying as his fingers quickened their pace –

“Pepper! Get back here!”

Laughter echoed from outside and footsteps pounded up the stairs.

Abby shut her eyes, groaning. “Shit.”

Marcus fell back onto the mattress as Abby regretfully rolled off of him, cursing her luck.

“Maybe if we don’t move and pretend we’re sleeping they’ll go away?” Marcus asked, staring at the locked door woefully.

The sounds of knocking and “Mum, you promised we would go to the park today!” and “Dad, can we have pancakes?” called for their attention.

Abby sighed and sank down into her pillow. “Or maybe not.”

The two parents shared a regretful look before they dragged themselves out of bed to quickly clean up and search for their clothes, with Abby calling out “We’re coming kids, hang on.”

Abby wrapped a dressing gown over her nightdress, then checking that Marcus was properly dressed, she opened the door.

Pepper bounded into their bedroom, almost knocking Abby to the ground. Octavia and Clarke ran in after her – with Bellamy hopping in - jumping onto the bed excitedly as if it were a jumping castle.

“Hey, hey!” Abby called approaching the bed, frowning at the mess they were making and the fur Pepper was shedding onto the bed. “Bellamy, be careful, your ankle’s still healing.”

The kids didn’t pay any attention to her, rolling and flailing over the sheets, giggling at Pepper who was buried under the sheets, sneezing and sticking her wagging butt out in Octavia’s face.

Abby pinched her lips disapprovingly. “Clarke, you know that Pepper isn’t allowed on the bed. What are you guys doing here?”

Clarke shrugged. “We’re hungry. It’s nine am and you guys hadn’t come down yet.”

Abby’s eyes widened. She glanced at the clock with alarm and cast Marcus a ‘ _why didn’t you tell me it was so late?’_ look, who just shrugged and shot her a defensive look _‘hey I didn’t know either.’_

Abby sighed.  “I didn’t see the time. I’m sorry honey.”

Bellamy lifted his head up, wincing at the two of them suspiciously. “Why were you guys so late to wake up anyway?”

Abby blushed, resisting the urge to look at Marcus, which would no doubt give them away. Instead she cleared her throat and said, “We lost track of the time. We were pretty tired last night. Anyway, how about we go downstairs and get started on breakfast? I think we have some pancake mix in the cupboard.”

The kids cheered, clearly happy with Abby’s choice of breakfast, and their suspicions of their parents’ late wake up long forgotten. They ran out the door, cheering ‘ _pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes’!_

Abby sighed and shook her head. It wasn’t long before Marcus was by her side, chuckling. Abby dropped her head onto his shoulder, staring down the hallway where she could still hear them chanting.

“We need to put a lock on their bedroom door.”

Abby laughed. “And while we’re at it, probably soundproof ours too.” She lifted her head up, her eyes flickering down Marcus’s frame, lingering below his waist. “I better go downstairs and start cooking them breakfast before we have some very grumpy children on our hands. _And you_ need to go and take a shower.”

Marcus followed her gaze down to his lap, almost blushing.

_A very, very, cold shower._

…

Marcus came downstairs freshly dressed to the smells of sweet batter wafting in the kitchen.

Abby looked comfortable and at ease, cooking pancakes over the stove, her hair tied back in a loose ponytail as she called out to the kids’ that breakfast would be ready soon. Marcus walked into the kitchen, creeping up behind her.

Abby gasped when she felt warm arms wrap around her waist, feeling Marcus press his body up against hers. She smiled a secret smile, acknowledging him with a small ‘ _hey’_ , but refused to take her eyes away from the breakfast. Then he began dropping kisses down the back of her neck, stirring a soft sigh from her lips.

 “You know, if you keep on doing this I’ll burn breakfast.”

Marcus smirked in her neck, nuzzling his nose into her hair, and nipping a trail of love bites down to her shoulder. “Well I think I’m hungry for something else right now.”

Abby turned her head to cast him a stern look. “Marcus, if you’re not careful the kids will see.”

Marcus followed her gaze to the living room, where the kids sat around, their attention consumed by the television screen. “I think they’re well distracted.”

Abby turned around in his arms so she was facing him, shaking her head. “Well nonetheless, I don’t think they’ll appreciate it if I burn their pancakes because you keep on doing, doing –“

She paused, a little flustered. Marcus lifted an eyebrow, smirking. “Doing?”

Abby rolled her eyes and gestured to his hands, which had now sneaked inside her robes and were slipping underneath her nightdress, caressing her waist. “ _This._ It’s distracting.” Abby shot him a warning look at his chuckles and huffed, “If you’re going to stay in the kitchen then you might as well make yourself useful.”

So she stole a quick kiss from his mouth – after checking that the kids were indeed, well distracted by the television – then chased him away with instructions to start chopping up the strawberries.

Abby enjoyed making breakfast with Marcus. She was surprised at just how comfortable and at ease she felt working with him. Chatting to him as she flipped the pancakes, stopping by next to him with parted lips waiting for him to pop a strawberry into her mouth, stealing sips of coffee from his mug when she could, feeling her heart skitter when his fingers would brush along her arm or go to rest on her lower back.

It was domestic and strangely intimate, the way they entered each other’s space so easily, how the simple chore of cooking could make her so happy when she was just doing it with Marcus.

Marcus too felt the same way. As he took the plates out of the cupboards, listening to Abby’s tinkling laughs as she told Marcus a funny story that occurred at her friend’s party, watching her eyes grow with joy and loose curls slip from her ponytail and tickle her face as she laughed, Marcus wondered how it was possible that he wanted to watch her all day, completely and utterly entranced, yet push her against the kitchen bench and kiss her senseless all at the same time.

And as Marcus glanced at his surroundings, from Abby proudly showing Marcus her golden smiley face shaped hot cakes, and to the kids sprinting into the kitchen with glee at the announcement that breakfast was ready – despite Abby’s protests to not run in the house – he couldn’t stop the word from passing his mind.

_Home._

And Marcus Kane knew that he wouldn’t want anything more in the world than to wake up to this every morning. To wake up to love, a family.

_A home._

Then Marcus took them all by surprised when he crossed over to Abby – who was still searching for the cutlery – and dipped his head down and kissed her cheek in front of everyone. Abby blushed and lifted her head up, her eyes crinkling with affection.

It took every ounce of control within her to not kiss him square on the lips.

“The food looks delicious,” Marcus said, eyes locking onto hers.

 Abby hummed, her fingers brushing through his curls, which had fallen over his eyes. “Well I can think of something else that looks pretty delectable too.”

Marcus’s eyes darkened, a smirk crawling onto his lips.

“Mum, come on! _We’re starving_ ,” Clarke whined.

Abby smiled and released Marcus’s hair. She went back to gather the plates and cutlery whilst Marcus carried out the bottle of milk and cups, the two of them following the kids outside to the dining table. They laid the fruit, whipped cream, maple syrup and mountains of pancakes on the table, and had barely piled the first few cakes onto their own plates before the kids were attacking the pancakes.

As far as Clarke could see, this was the best breakfast she had ever had.

She loved planning her morning adventures with Octavia and Bellamy over breakfast and pulling funny faces with the siblings over a few cups of milk, seeing who could make someone laugh first so hard that they snorted out milk. Clarke loved laughing so much that her cheeks and ribs were sore all over. She loved feeding Pepper snippets of pancake when her Mother wasn’t watching, and watching with great amusement when Uncle Marcus got cream and syrup caught in his beard when he went to eat.

But most of all, Clarke loved watching Abby and Marcus.

Clarke had never seen her Mother this happy during breakfast before, and knew that a lot of her new found happiness had to do with Marcus. Clarke knew it in the way the two adults looked at each other and laughed when they were together. She knew it when she saw Marcus let her Mother drink juice out of his glass because she forgot her own – which Clarke guessed to be pretty important, since she would _never_ share her juice with someone – and she knew it when she saw her Mom laugh at the clot of cream on Marcus’s nose, before leaning over and cleaning it away with her mouth in an open-mouthed kiss.

Clarke never grew up with a father. It had always just been her and Abby, and whilst she loved her mother, she couldn’t help but feel envious when she saw other kids play with their parents and siblings. Yet as Clarke recalled the tight bear hugs and shower of kisses Marcus and Abby gave her, and all the times she spent playing with the Blake siblings, squealing in Marcus’s arms as Abby chased the two of them around the house, and drifting off to sleep with Bellamy and Octavia to the sounds of Marcus and Abby’s soothing voices as they read her the bedtime story, Clarke couldn’t help but think.

She may not have a father or sibling or even very man

y friends, _but she had a family._

Something suddenly clicked in Clarke’s head, something she had forgotten. She shot out from her seat and ran inside the house and to her bedroom, ignoring everyone’s startled calls. She returned shortly with a crumpled picture, and tugged on Marcus and Abby’s shirt to get their attention. She held out the picture to Marcus and Abby with a toothy smile.

“I drew this yesterday and forgot to show you guys.”

Abby unravelled the drawing, her hand flying to her mouth and heart tightening when she saw it.  It was titled ‘My Family’, and had Clarke sketched out in fine pencil and holding hands with two adults, one with a black beard labelled ‘Dad’ and the other wearing a white dress, ‘Mom’. Bellamy and Octavia were there too, grinning in front of Clarke. Clarke had even drawn Pepper in bright orange, who was jumping on Octavia’s legs, panting.

 “Oh honey,” Abby said, her voice trembling in her chest. She blinked back a few tears. “It’s beautiful.”

Marcus too seemed a little lost for words. Octavia and Bellamy quickly rushed over to see the picture, eyes wide in awe at Clarke’s artistic brilliance.

Clarke’s gaze shifted between Abby and Marcus, and then to the Blake twins, a heavy feeling suddenly settling in her tummy when she remembered that they would be leaving today.

“I wish you guys didn’t have to go,” Clarke said woefully.

“Me too,” Bellamy said.

“Me three,” Octavia mimicked with a nod.

“Then why leave?”

Their heads all shot up to Abby, who was staring at them all fondly. Marcus turned to face Abby, sure that he had misheard her. “What?”

Abby just smiled. “You heard me.”

Marcus blinked, searching her eyes, his mind struggling to process what she had. “Abby, did you just ask us to move in with you?”

Abby shrugged, smiling. “Well, it makes sense doesn’t it? You spend half your week here anyway, and Pepper and Clarke miss you guys when you’re all not here. I know I do. And we have the space. Besides, Jake always said it; this house was built for more than two.”

Marcus’s chest swelled with hope, mind racing with joy at the thought of living with Abby and waking up with her every day, yet his ears barely daring to believe what she was saying. His heart was thumping in his chest and drumming in his ears, half torn between cheering with his kids and sweeping her in a crushing hug.

But he did neither.

Instead he leapt across to her and kissed her. Abby laughed into his mouth, hands cupping his cheeks as she deepened the kiss. It wasn’t long before she felt his hands circling around her waist and she was lifted into the air, gasping and laughing, and quickly looped her arms around his neck as he spun her around, completely and utterly ecstatic, before his lips claimed hers once more.

Abby felt a dizzying rush surge within her, wanting to devour his mouth with hers and run her fingers through his hair and all over his body. But she was very well aware of the kids in the background. So she broke their kiss and brushed her nose against his, giddy and breathless.

She briefly glanced at the kids, worried about what they had seen and how they would respond. Yet the kids seemed far too occupied with their own celebrations, cheering and jumping, Octavia scooping Pepper into the air and crying _“_ Hear that Pepper? We’ll be living here now!”

Perhaps they didn’t seem as bothered by their parent’s romantic relationship like the two adults had feared. Or perhaps they had seen the unconditional love Abby and Marcus held for each other growing for so long, that their intimacy wasn’t surprising at all.

Marcus seemed to have the same concerns as he glanced at the kids too, letting Abby back down to the ground. Abby however did not release him just yet, but stepped closer to him so their chests were just touching, her head tilting to the side with a playful smile.

“So, I take that as a yes then?”

Abby swore his smile was bright enough to light up even the darkest of winter nights as he said, “Of course it’s a yes.” He hesitated, his eyes searching hers cautiously as he asked, “But are you really sure?”

Abby’s hands slid down the slope of his shoulders and to his arms, fingers intertwining with his hands. “I have never been surer of anything in my life. Marcus, you have given me everything that I thought I could never have again. Hope. Love. _A family_ ,” she stopped, tears catching in her throat and pooling in her eyes. “When I woke up next to you this morning I just knew, this was what I wanted, to wake up next to you every day, you and Clarke and Bellamy and Octavia _. My family.”_

Marcus was speechless. He wanted to tell her so much more, that he hadn’t given her a family, but they had found each other and built a family and home, _together._ But Clarke was already sprinting over to Marcus and crashing into his waist, hugging him tightly. Marcus chuckled and scooped Clarke up into his arms, spinning her around the room.

“Are we really a family now?” she asked, her eyes bright with excitement.

Marcus brushed his nose against hers and shared a smile with Abby. “We sure are.”

Clarke grinned. “Does this mean you’re my Dad now?”

Marcus’s heart melted at her words. “Of course.”

Then to Abby’s surprise, Bellamy and Octavia too ran over and embraced her waist. Abby knelt down and enveloped them all in her arms.

“So will you be our Mom then?” Bellamy asked.

Abby laughed and ruffled Bellamy’s hair. “Only if both of you will have me as your Mom, but I would want nothing more.”

“What about Pepper?” Octavia asked, turning her attention to the puppy who was nudging her head into Abby’s leg.

Abby scooped Pepper up and brought her into the big group hug. “Of course Pepper is a part of our family too. Pepper, the little miracle who brought us all together.” 

Abby lifted her head up and met Marcus’s gaze, the two of them sharing a smile. And as she glanced at Marcus and Pepper and their children, _her children,_ Abby felt her heart bloom, pounding with a fierce love for her family.

From across the room, between their kids and a sneezing dog, Abby mouthed _I love you_ to Marcus, who’s smile radiated his entire features as he mouthed the words right back to her. As Abby grinned and hugged Bellamy, Octavia and Pepper tighter, Marcus and Clarke quickly joining her in one big family group hug, Abby couldn’t help but think.

Marcus had been right all along.

_It wasn’t too late to love again._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap. I hope it's not too sudden but that's really how I intended this fic to be from the start; Pepper bringing Marcus and Abby together, and they create a family <3 
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who gave me kudos and left such sweet encouraging comments that really helped to motivate me to write this fic, i love you all! I had so much fun writing love after loss and wanted to keep on writing more updates and for it to last forever. But I also want to get back to 'when we met' another modern au i'm doing, and a new one i'm staring up which will be MASSIVE and based in Australia, so i needed to wrap this one up so I could start other projects. But I definitely won't say no to future one shots based off love after loss, I most likely will write a little something for Christmas and other festive seasons. Thank you to everyone for reading it, it was a blast writing this series <3 xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> So originally this was supposed to be a one shot but so far it's over 7000 words and i'm still not done so i had to split it up into a series. Hence why i struggled so much with the title, because i haven't quite finished the end yet! And usually i rely on the ending for the title to tie back into the series. But i hope you guys like this anyway! The next update shouldn't be too long since i've finished writing it already, just need to proof read. Please let me know your thoughts! 
> 
> Also fun fact: Pepper was inspired by a dog I once had. My first dog I had was a Shar pei named Bobby, who tragically passed away when he was still young. But he bred with another shar pei dog called Salt and they had a pup called Pepper. I cried so much when we had to sell her, like I cried when her dad died. But yeah, i'll always remember those two precious dogs <3 Pepper had such a sparkling personality too.


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